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Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : October 8, 2014 10:19 AM IST
Older parents are likelier to have a child who develops anautism spectrum disorder (ASD) than are younger parents, a new study has suggested.
The study from researchers from the Drexel University School of Public Health in Philadelphia and Karolinska Institute in Sweden provides more insight into how the risk associated with parental age varies between mothers' and fathers' ages, and found that the risk of having a child with both ASD and intellectual disability is larger for older parents. In the study, researchers report that fathers' and mothers advancing ages have different impacts on their child's risk. The rise in ASD risk with parental age was greater for older mothers as compared to older fathers. (Read: 10 things every child with autism wishes you knew)
In this study, Brian K. Lee , PhD, an assistant professor in the Drexel University School of Public Health, and colleagues analyzed a large population registry sample of 417,303 children born in Sweden between 1984 and 2003, adjusted for numerous possible factors that could vary with parental age and also influence risk, such as family income and each parent's psychiatric history. (Read: 6 tips for parents to deal with autistic children)
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The study also used a particularly comprehensive case-finding approach, to identify more ASDcases than other studies might, based on all pathways to care in a socialized health system. The study has been published in the International Journal of Epidemiology. (Read: 5 therapies that can improve an autistic child's life)
What is autism?
Autism is a developmental disorder wherein the normal brain development is disrupted very early in life. Autistic spectrum disorder is an umbrella term to encompass all the neurodevelopmental disorders in children. Autism impacts communication, behaviour and social relationships and approximately 67 million people worldwide are estimated to be affected by it. It is the fastest growing global disorder. In this condition, cognition skills are hampered because of altered nerve cells, although the causative factor is unknown. A combination of genetics and the environment have been found to contribute to the development of autism. Symptoms differ from one child to the other. Autistic children have varying degrees of impairment in communication and socialization, and have various behavioural problems in the form of repetitive behaviour, restricted play interests and sometimes very unusual interests.
Autism can be diagnosed in many cases by 3 years of age based on the symptoms the child shows. There is no cure for autism. But early diagnosis and early intervention with therapies does improve the long term outcome in autism. The various therapies recommended are occupational therapy, communication therapy and behavioural therapy. Medications are used to improve some of the symptoms like irritability, hyperactivity and aggressive behaviour when they do not responded to other therapies. (Read: Understanding autism its causes, symptoms and treatment)
With inputs from ANI
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