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Perinatal complications associated with autism--a case control study in a neurodevelopment and early intervention
Saswati Nath1, Rita Roy, Suchandra Mukherjee
1RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata 700004.
Insights
Perinatal complications like antepartum hemorrhage and preterm birth are linked to autism spectrum disorder in children. Early identification of these risk factors is crucial for timely intervention and improved outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Pediatric Neurology
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
Background:
- Early intervention significantly improves quality of life for children at risk for autism.
- Previous research indicates perinatal factors may predispose infants to autism, ADHD, and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
- A high index of suspicion is warranted for infants with known autism risk factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between specific perinatal risk factors and the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
- To identify key perinatal complications that may increase a child's susceptibility to ASD.
Main Methods:
- Case-control study involving children aged 3+ years attending a neurodevelopment clinic and age-matched controls.
- Utilized Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST) and Vineland Social Maturity Scale (VSMS) for developmental assessment.
- Employed a semi-structured parent questionnaire and the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) for screening, with DSM-IV-TR criteria for diagnosis.
Main Results:
- A significant correlation was observed between antepartum hemorrhage, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and preterm delivery with the incidence of autism.
- Perinatal complications were identified as significant risk factors contributing to the development of autism spectrum disorder.
- The study highlights specific maternal and delivery-related factors associated with increased autism risk.
Conclusions:
- Perinatal complications represent critical risk factors for autism spectrum disorder.
- Awareness of these risk factors enables clinicians to implement preventive strategies and targeted interventions.
- Early identification and management of avoidable perinatal complications can potentially reduce the severity of disability in children with ASD.
Abstract:
Early and intensive intervention can have a profound impact on the quality of life for children at risk for autism. Hence a high degree of suspicion towards babies exposed to known risk factors is warranted. Previous studies have shown that different perinatal factors like antepartum bleeding, postmaturity, birth asphyxia, meconium aspiration syndrome, anaemia in early infancy and exposure to toxins of various origins makes an infant susceptible to development of autism; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other neurodevelopmental disorders in later life.This study aims to find out the association of perinatal risk factors in relation to development of autism spectrum disorders. All babies who are at least three years of age, attending the neurodevelopment and early intervention clinic at SSKM Hospital at Kolkata taken as cases. Age matched controls were taken from general paediatric OPD of the same hospital. After history taking, physical and neurological examination, developmental maturity was assessed by the Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST) and Vineland Social Maturity Scale (VSMS). A semi-structured parent's questionnaire and the modified checklist for autism in toddlers (M-CHAT) was used to screen for autism. Diagnosis was confirmed by DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition, Text Revision) criteria. Significant correlation was found between presence of antepartum haemorrhage, pregnancy induced hypertension, preterm delivery and autism in the baby. Perinatal complications are important risk factor for autism. Knowing the risk factors will help clinicians to be aware of the avoidable complications, and to undertake either preventive steps or intense intervention to reduce the degree of disability.
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