Related Experiment Videos
Season of birth effects in autism
M C Stevens1, D H Fein, L H Waterhouse
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030-2103, United States of America. stevens@psychiatry.uchc.edu
Insights
This study found seasonal birth patterns in preschool children with autism, particularly for females and socially passive individuals. A March birth elevation was noted in a Boston sub-sample of low-functioning boys.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Biostatistics
Background:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition with multifactorial etiology.
- Understanding potential environmental or temporal risk factors, such as birth season, is crucial for etiological research.
- Previous studies have explored seasonal birth patterns in autism, but findings require further investigation and subgroup analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential non-random patterns in birth dates (monthly or seasonal) among preschool-age children diagnosed with autism.
- To compare birth date distributions between children with autism and a non-autistic sibling control group.
- To identify specific subgroups within the autism sample that may exhibit distinct birth date patterns.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of birth dates from a sample of preschool children with autism and their non-autistic siblings.
- Utilized U.S. Census data for live birth frequencies as a baseline.
- Employed chi-square analyses and seasonal harmonic trend analysis to detect deviations from expected birth frequencies.
Main Results:
- A significant seasonal birth effect was identified for females within the overall autism sample.
- Both seasonal and monthly birth effects were observed in children classified as socially passive (Wing system).
- A statistically significant elevation in births during March was found in the Boston sub-sample, predominantly low-functioning boys.
Conclusions:
- The study suggests potential seasonal influences on autism occurrence, particularly for females and socially passive individuals.
- The findings highlight the importance of subgroup analysis in autism research to uncover specific etiological factors.
- The observed March birth elevation in a specific sub-sample warrants further investigation into localized or specific risk factors.
Abstract:
This study examined a sample of preschool-age children with autism in an attempt to identify patterns of birth dates that deviated from expected frequencies by month or season. Birth dates of children with autism and those of a non-autistic sibling control group were compared to the number of total live births gathered from U.S. Census data. Analyses included two types of chi-square analyses and a seasonal harmonic trend analysis. Previously unmentioned in the literature is a seasonal effect finding for females within the entire sample, and both a seasonal and monthly effect for children classified as socially Passive by the Wing system. A significant elevation was also found in March within the Boston sub-sample (n = 37). This sample largely comprised low-functioning boys with autism, a finding consistent with previous findings in the literature. Peri-natal complications and early life development of the subjects from the Boston site are detailed.