Factors in Infancy That May Predict Autism Spectrum Disorder
Mina Gurevitz1, Gerry Leisman2,3
1Well Baby Clinic Physician, Maccabi Health Services, Herzliya 4649713, Israel.
Insights
Rapid infant growth, low birth weight, and older maternal age predict Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) development. These factors, along with motor delays by age two, may link ASD increases to the obesity epidemic and sleep position recommendations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Public Health
Background:
- Global prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is increasing.
- Reasons for the rise in ASD diagnoses remain unclear.
- Early identification of contributing factors is crucial for understanding ASD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify early contributing factors for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children.
- To analyze postnatal records for predictive signs of ASD.
- To investigate potential links between environmental factors and ASD development.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study analyzing postnatal records of 1105 children diagnosed with ASD.
- Comparison of ASD cases with typically developing children.
- Statistical analysis of birth and well-baby care program data.
Main Results:
- Rapid increases in infant weight, height, and head circumference predict ASD development.
- Low birth weight, older maternal age, and higher weight/height percentiles at six months also predict ASD.
- By age two, these factors plus impaired motor development predict ASD.
Conclusions:
- Early rapid growth and specific early-life factors are associated with later ASD diagnosis.
- Findings suggest potential links between the obesity epidemic, supine sleeping recommendations, and atypical brain development in ASD.
- Further research is needed to confirm these associations and inform preventative strategies.
Abstract:
The global increase in the prevalence of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) is of great medical importance, but the reasons for this increase are still unknown. This study sought to identify possible early contributing factors in children who were later diagnosed with ASD. In this retrospective cohort study, postnatal records of 1105 children diagnosed with ASD were analyzed to determine if any signs of ASD could be found in a large database of births and well-baby care programs. We compared the recordings of typically developing children and analyzed the differences statistically. Rapid increases in weight, height, and head circumference during early infancy predict the development of ASD. In addition, low birth weight, older maternal age, and increased weight and height percentiles at six months of age together predict the development of ASD. At two years of age, these four parameters, in addition to impaired motor development, can also predict the development of ASD. These results suggest that the recent increase in ASD prevalence is associated with the "obesity epidemic" and with recommendations of supine sleeping to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, associated with atypical neural network development in the brain.
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