Single Mother of Autism

Autism, though in most cases not life threatening, it more common than most other conditions that our child may be diagnosed with, yet is least understood of those. There are many theories as to what the true cause of Autism may be.  Often though research findings are sound, they only cover a small percentage of diagnosed children. Every parent has a different idea as to why their child has been tossed into what I often refer to as the Spectrum Circus.

Vaccinations are the most common thing to blame, and the most publicized of possible causes. However there has been no firm evidence to prove this case. It also does not explain why children whom were not vaccinated are also being diagnosed.

Like many diseases genetics are thought to play a large role in Autism. The first studies of possible genetic links to Autism started in the 1970’s. Research noted that twins born to an Autistic parent had a higher chance of also being diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. It also went on to state slight increases of diagnoses amongst siblings with at least one Autistic child.

Though the small percentages in these studies made it impossible to conclude anything concrete about the ties to genetic causes of Autism, it was the beginning of many more genetic studies to come.

Fragile X Syndrome is a classification to a variation of genetic disorders that can affect families in different ways. The most common result is the variety of mental impairments through out a family with this genetic mutation. Though only accounting for a small percentage of Autism diagnoses, Fragile X Syndrome is the most common stated genetic cause of Autism. Between 2 and 6% of children diagnosed with Autism are found to have Fragile X mutations. A third of children diagnosed with Fragile X Syndrome are also diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

In 2008 scientists released that 1 percent of Autistic people shared another common genetic factor. In these cases the Chromosome 16 were mutated slightly. This finding will hopefully make genetic testing available for parents who wish to plan their families around the possibility of bringing a special needs child into the world. Parents of an Autistic child could be tested, and Chromosome 16 would be studied and if it contains possible mutations, a couple can opt to not have another child.

February 2009 an article was published explaining another genetic finding connecting genetic mutations to Autism. Brain size differences have been noted between those with Autism, and persons of “typical” health. Two genes which affect brain size and social behavior have been studied in mice. It was discovered that female mice with mutations in the PTEN and the serotonin transporter gene had similar behaviors as those with Autism. Brain size and social behaviors were studied and found comparable to studies on children.  

Though the findings of research cases such as these only cover a small percentage of children diagnosed with Autism, it is a credible advancement in unlocking some of the mysteries that is Autism. Since Autism covers such a large spectrum of severity, it is nearly impossible to determine the true causes, and it can be concluded that there is no one definite cause to Autism. However, with each advancement, we come a slight step closer in learning how to prevent Autism Spectrum Disorders.

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