That truism that siblings of autistic kids likely to suffer from the disease? Consider it fact. (Previous studies provided data within a fairly wide range of 3 to 14%.) This according to a new study that will be published in Pediatrics (no longer in print), shortly.
Investigators from a multitude of institutions (UC-Davis, UCLA, USCD, UMass, UMiami, Washington U, Hebrew U, Dalhousie, UAlberta, UPitt, UWashington, and KennedyKrieger) collaborated for this study of children with older siblings. These at-risk children were studied since birth (longitudinal study) for 3 years) to determine if they would develop symptoms of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).
Of the subjects, 18.7% developed autism. This may mean that because the children were known at risk, and that brains are malleable at early ages, this special attention may have lowered the development of ASD among this population. By choosing activities that promote social and emotional development (including language skills), the prevalence of ASD may be reducible.
When there was more than one autistic sibling, the incidence was twice as high as those with only one autistic sibling (32% and 13.5%) And, the results were gender specific (boys were about 2.5X as likely to develop autism than girls- 26 and 10%, respectively); 103 boys and 29 girls manifested ASD symptoms.
One should recall that the current incidence of autism is about 1 child for every 110 births. And, it is still unclear the dominant role- eugenics or euthenics.
P.S. After this was posted, New Scientist has a blurb about an article that will be published next week (I think the link will be this.) It quotes an idea that perhaps older children are teaching the younger sibling the behavior!
Really, older children teaching their younger siblings the behavior? Wouldn’t that hold true for non-autistuc children too. The debate still goes on… genetics or else… I think the nature nurture controversy is just a never ending debate! Though sibling effect cannot be neglected, it might be just one of the factors that contribute to what has already happened.
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Hajra:
I am with you 100%. This “factoid” was something that was brought up and I would be remiss.
Roy