There has been a great deal of research that evaluates the association between birth weight and the

Fombonne, E. (2000,November, 20). Is there an epidemic of autism? Pediatrics, Retrieved January 20, 2008, from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/107/2/411?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=eric+fombonne&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT

Several environmental factors have also been suspected of attributing to the cause of autism such as: exposure to infectious disease, heavy metals, phthalates and phenols, pesticides, alcohol, illicit drugs, advanced maternal age, maternal bleeding during pregnancy, maternal medications used during pregnancy and maternal stress (Glasson et al., 2004). The research conducted by Glasson et al., (2004) shows that individuals who were later diagnosed with autism were more likely to have experienced obstetric difficulties during pregnancy, labor, delivery and neonatal period. Advanced maternal age was the strongest finding in that study.

HW: Meta-Analysis- Investigating the genetic and prognostic Sex Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Introduction: While Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) has been researched extensively, the role of gender in this disease is still poorly understood. With a 4:1 gender distribution in the diagnosis of ASD, many research studies have attempted to explain this difference (Fombonne,2009). Current research has theorized about various different etiologies for this gender discrepancy, such as a female protective effect (Jacquemont et al., 2014). The female protective effect suggests that females must demonstrate higher levels of genetic risk factors in order to reach clinically impaired functional status and therefore be diagnosed (Chawarska,

There has been much research and debate on whether vaccines cause autism, however, there is no evidence that Measles, Mumps, Rubella vaccination is associated to autism. Parental age and pregnancy complications have been the most studied risk factors for ASD especially low birth weight and prematurity. Three of five studies have found low birth weight to have a significant association with autism spectrum disorder. Mothers aged 35 years and older and fathers aged 40 to 49 years have also found significant associations with autism. Pregnancy complications have been found to be significantly associated with ASD according to a 2012 systematic review. Prenatal, perinatal, and neonatal overall health have been explored by many studies. A cohort

While there are many theories there is no single cause of autism. One theory assumes multiple factors interacting in complex ways (i.e. genes, environment and brain) can cause autism. Genetics play a role but do not explain the full picture or the recent increase in reported cases. According to Volkmar and Weisner (2009), "Identical twins have identical genes, while fraternal twins share only some genes. The implication of this finding was that there was potentially a very strong genetic contribution in autism. A number of studies have shown that this is the case. " (p. 26). There are medical conditions associated with autism which include, phenylketonuria, congenital rubella, tuberous sclerosis, and Fragile X. The strongest associations are with Fragile X, a genetic condition causing intellectual disability and tuberous sclerosis, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to form in many different organs, primarily in the brain, eyes, heart. There is no strong evidence that environmental etologies cause autism. Some researchers assume that environmental toxins can increase the rate of autism, but evidence proposed for environmental factors is based on a case by case report which is difficult to interpret (Volkmar & Weisner,

Focusing on the role of environmental factors in the development of autism after birth is a popular study amongst the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) community. It is known that genetics strongly influence the risk for developing ASD, but genetics are not responsible alone. The increasing cases of autism have generated great interest in the potential involvement of toxins in our environment and how that impacts children prone to autism spectrum disorder. For example, exposure to the chemicals thalidomide and valproic acid prior to birth has been linked to increased risk of autism.

The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the full birth weight distribution and prevalence of specific developmental disabilities and related measures of health and the use of special education services by US children.

With the rate of autism being diagnosed on the rise, the amount of research and interest in the disorder has risen as well. Some research suggests that over the past two decades the occurrence of autism has increased from approximately 2-5 per 10,000 births to about 1-5 per 1,000 births (Acosta & Pearl, 2004; Fatemi et al., 2012). Still others report that the occurrence is as high as 1 in 150 kids (Amaral, Schumann, & Nordhal, 2008). Even though the spectrum of autistic disorders has been studied since 1943, there have still not been any consistent nor persuasive causes or markers, either biological or clinical, identified with autism and its range of disorders (Santangelo & Tsatsanis, 2005). In fact, even with all of the advancements in genetic research technology and the increasing interest in autism, researchers can still only account for approximately 5-15% of autistic cases (Rogers et al., 2013).

The autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a multitude of risk factors such as: genes, environmental chemical exposure, maternal factors, drug interactions, including potentially unidentified variables. These factors may act independently and/or through complex interactions to produce autism (Dietert et al., 2011). There is a growing concern with ADS due to the increased prevalence. Autism is a lifelong chronic disorder that appears to be connected to a host of comorbidities. This fact can be used to make the case that the public health strategy has not been effective in reducing this epidemic (Dietert et al., 2011). Currently there is no one environmental factor that has been identified that can account for ASD epidemic, and there appears to be more risk factors regularly identified.

Autism is a word that every modern parent is aware, and even afraid of. This word autism, however, has become common quite recently. It first appeared in 1943-1944 when Leo Kanner in Baltimore and Hans Asperger in Vienna, published articles describing a childhood disorder named “autism”. They actually borrowed this term from Kraepelin and Bleuler, who used it to “describe the escape from reality and withdrawal seen in schizophrenia” (Catherine and Frédérique 2431-2443). Now the term “autism spectrum disorder”(ASD) refers to a “condition of early childhood characterized by multiple impairments in socialization and communication, as well as unusual interests and repetitive behavior”(Lawrence and Karen 51-53). According to Dr.Jose Cordero, director of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, autism has become an “urgent public health issue”(Caroline). It is a global phenomenon occurring in industrialized countries. Statistics shows a huge increase of autism in children: in 2000 every one in 150 children was autistic compared to one in 68 now(Alice). The most well known causes of autism are the use of vaccines, the increasing age of parents, and genetically modified foods. In addition, most researchers now believe that autism is caused by a complex interaction of genetic and environmental triggers and possibly the use of

“Village idiot”, “court jester”, “witch”… could these be the original names for Autism Spectrum Disorder of recent history? It has been suggested that ASD stems from an aggregate effect of many damaged essential genes that "work" together during the early stages of development in the womb, as soon as eight weeks after conception.19 The prevailing theory for autism is that it is a polygenic or multi-factorial genetic disorder and presumes that there are multiple genes and multiple environmental forces that interact in some complex way to ultimately create the problem of autism.20 Research has shown that over the last decade that while diagnosis has increased over time, the actual percentage prevalence of autism has not risen.10

The use of mice is used to see if nutrition influences autism in children of mice and potentially humans. The types of food that a mother takes before birth, during birth, and during breastfeeding will affect the brain development of the offspring. Unhealthy food habits and the presence of certain minerals and vitamins in a mother’s diet has an important factor in the brain development of a child. Foods that are high in fats affect the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which is a key component that uses energy from food to improve the synapses in the brain (Gómez-Pinilla, 2008). The use of high-fat foods in a mother’s diet can cause brain damage in the offspring (Sullivan et al. 2014). Another food

risk for children who are having autism with their parents. In the past thirty years, autism has

Autism (ADS) is a developmental disability that affects both verbal as well as nonverbal communication and social skills. It is not certain what causes Autism, although it is believed that it is genetics. It is believed because there have been a numbers of genes identified to associate with the disorder, with includes several regulations in the regions of the brain as well as abnormal levels of serotonin in the brain. Suggesting that Autism could result from a disruption of brain development early in the womb caused by defects in the genes that control brain growth and regulate how brain cells functions. In the journal American Journal of medical genetics the researchers analyzed eleven years of the United States special education

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a range of predicaments identified by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviour, speech and non-verbal communication. Signs of this disorder usually come to the parents’ attention during the first two years of the child’s life. Although in some cases children reach their developmental milestones at a normal pace and then start to relapse, most often these signs develop gradually. The diagnostic criteria require that these symptoms become apparent in early childhood, generally before age three. Autism is formed due to a mixture of genetic and environmental factors. In some circumstances Autism is associated with certain diseases gained during pregnancy by making use of drugs and alcohol or by receiving infections