Autism spectrum disorders used to be attributed to bad parenting, known as the Psychogenic Theory. The belief that parental practices are responsible for autism has long been disproven, but the cause of autism is still unknown. According to the National Autism Association, genetic predisposition and environmental factors must BOTH be present for autism to occur. Some people may have a genetic predisposition such as mitochondrial dysfunction, immune dysregulation, inflammation, oxidative stress, methylation problems, transsulfuration issues, and toxicity. However, genetic predisposition alone is not believed to cause autism, but must be coupled with one or more environmental factors. Some of these factors include vaccinations, pesticide exposure, parental age, pharmaceuticals, and freeway proximity, among others.
What surprised me most from this article was the effect that freeway proximity has on autism. Mothers who live within 1000 feet of a freeway have been found to be two times more likely to have a child with autism.
Prior to reading this article by the National Autism Association, I was unaware that such common environmental factors such as exposure to freeways and medicines ran such a high risk of developing autism. However, only those who are genetically predisposed to the disorder will be negatively affected by these environmental factors. In order to ensure everybody's safety, children should be screened for conditions such as mitochondrial dysfunction, immune dysregulation, inflammation, etc. By knowing if someone is genetically predisposed, efforts can be made to keep them away from the dangerous environmental factors, thus keeping them from developing the full-blown disorder.
Link to article:
http://nationalautismassociation.org/about-autism/causes-of-autism/
What surprised me most from this article was the effect that freeway proximity has on autism. Mothers who live within 1000 feet of a freeway have been found to be two times more likely to have a child with autism.
Prior to reading this article by the National Autism Association, I was unaware that such common environmental factors such as exposure to freeways and medicines ran such a high risk of developing autism. However, only those who are genetically predisposed to the disorder will be negatively affected by these environmental factors. In order to ensure everybody's safety, children should be screened for conditions such as mitochondrial dysfunction, immune dysregulation, inflammation, etc. By knowing if someone is genetically predisposed, efforts can be made to keep them away from the dangerous environmental factors, thus keeping them from developing the full-blown disorder.
Link to article:
http://nationalautismassociation.org/about-autism/causes-of-autism/