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Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

Autism affects children of all races and nationalities, but certain factors increase a child's risk. They include:

  • Your child's sex. Boys are four to five times more likely to develop autism than girls are.
  • Family history. Families who have one child with autism have an increased risk of having another child with the disorder. It's also not uncommon for the parents or relatives of an autistic child to have minor problems with social or communication skills themselves or to engage in certain autistic behaviors.
  • Other disorders. Children with certain medical conditions have a higher than normal risk of having autism. These conditions include fragile X syndrome, an inherited disorder that causes intellectual problems; tuberous sclerosis, a condition in which benign tumors develop in the brain; the neurological disorder Tourette syndrome; and epilepsy, which causes seizures.
  • Parents' ages. There may also be a connection between children born to older parents and autism, but more research is necessary to establish this link.
Preparing for your appointment Causes
References
  1. Autism overview: What are some of the possible signs of autism? Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development. http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/autism/overview/signsOfAutism.cfm. Accessed Aug. 3, 2012.
  2. Autism fact sheet. National Autism Association. http://nationalautismassociation.org/resources/autism-fact-sheet/. Accessed Aug. 3, 2012.
  3. LaBlanc LS, et al. Behavioral interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 2012;59:147.
  4. Autistic disorder. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed Aug. 3, 2012.
  5. Huffman LC, et al. Management of symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorders: A comprehensive review of pharmacologic and complementary-alternative medicine treatment. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics. 2011;32:56.
  6. Learn the signs — Act early. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/concerned.html. Accessed Aug. 3, 2012.
  7. James S, et al. Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD007992.pub2/abstract. Accessed July 2, 2012.
  8. A parent's guide to autism spectrum disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/a-parents-guide-to-autism-spectrum-disorder/what-are-the-symptoms-of-asd.shtml. Accessed Aug. 3, 2012.
  9. Augustyn M. Terminology, epidemiology, and pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Aug. 3, 2012.
  10. AskMayoExpert. What advice can a primary care provider give to parents who inquire about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) treatments that have no scientific evidence of efficacy and may be harmful. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2012.
  11. Cheuk DKL, et al. Acupuncture for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD007992.pub2/abstract. Accessed July 2, 2012.
  12. American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement. Sensory integration therapies for children with developmental and behavioral disorders. Pediatrics. 2012;129:1186.
  13. Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/topics.html. Accessed Aug. 3, 2012.
  14. Autism fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm. Accessed Aug. 3, 2012.
  15. Whiteside SP (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Sept. 18, 2012.
  16. Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Sept. 19, 2012.
  17. Chelation: Therapy or "therapy"? National Capital Poison Center. http://www.poison.org/current/chelation%20therapy.htm. Accessed Sept. 20, 2012.
  18. Antshel KM, et al. Advances in understanding and treating ADHD. BMC Medicine. 2011;9:72.
  19. Filipek PA, et al. Reaffirmed 2010. Practice parameter: Screening and diagnosis of autism. Neurology. 2000;55:468.
  20. Schultz MG (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Sept. 21, 2012.
DS00348 Oct. 6, 2012

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