Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is something I have grappled with trying to understand for much of my life. I think I grew up with the idea that autism was a consistent disorder between everyone with the diagnosis–that they all have severe issues functioning independently and learning in school. In high school, someone I had worked with in a theatre production shared that they had autism about 2 months after I had known him–I would have never thought this was the case.
This friend had a milder diagnosis of ASD called Asperger’s, and this is when I learned that Autism did not manifest the same in all people.
This realization became an extra challenge when I started researching the biochemical and environmental factors that cause the development of autism. In one paper by Andreas Grabrucker, titled “Environmental Factors in Autism,” he identified eight risk factors that impact neurological functioning leading to the development of autism.
- Prenatal viral infection–Maternal infection, autoimmune disease, and/or allergy could change the immunity of the fetal brain and the fetal immune system
- Zinc deficiency–Maternal or early development zinc deficiency might give an explanation of gene/environment interaction
- Abnormal melatonin synthesis–Melatonin regulates the circadian rhythm, is an antioxidant, is involved in the immune response, and regulates synaptic plasticity
- Maternal diabetes–Diabetes in the mother during pregnancy increases autism risk by 200%
- Prenatal and perinatal stress–Prenatal stress activates the HPA axis resulting in abnormalities in postnatal immune function
- Toxins–Certain pesticides may contribute to autism as well as psychiatric drugs taken by the mother during pregnancy
- Parental age–Advanced maternal age might contribute through increased pregnancy complications and maternal autoimmunity
- Postnatal risk factors–Gastrointestinal or immune system abnormalities, allergies, and exposure of children to drugs, infection, certain foods or heavy metals have been proposed a s risk factor for autism
There is a strong role of the placenta, in regards to what passes from mother to fetus that may lead to development of autism. Here are some examples of substances that can pass through the placenta during pregnancy.
If all of these explanations weren’t complicated enough on their own, Grabucker describes many of these risk factors being related to each other, and an interconnected model of risk factors is proposed with zinc deficiency and immune system abnormalities placed in the center.
To eloquently provide a hypothesis that incorporates how all of these factors work together would be extremely helpful reducing rates of autism.
Here are some 2016 facts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about current autism rates in the U.S.:
- 1 in 68 children have ASD
- Boys are 4.5 more likely to have ASD diagnosis than girls
- Until recently, rates have risen since the 1960s
- Rates have are unchanged from 2 years ago
As researchers continue to try to prevent the development of autism, it is important for our entire society to think about how to best care for individuals and families affected by autism.
Starting in the 1970s, federal guidelines supported the inclusion of children with special needs into mainstream schooling, mandating that these students be placed in the least restrictive environment for their education. Eileen Bailey, a health guide for Health Central, outlines the benefits and disadvantages of mainstreaming students with ASD.
Benefits:
- Prepares students for life outside of school–learning how to interact with different types of people
- Early inclusion may help increase IQ scores of ASD students
- Neurotypical students provide an example of appropriate social behavior for ASD students
Disadvantages:
- Teachers don’t have training or time to tend to needs of ASD students
- ASD students may require nontraditional classroom instruction
- May subject ASD students to be bullied
The juxtaposition of these benefits and disadvantages illustrates the ambiguity of mainstreaming ASD students in classrooms.
All in all, as I continue to seek answers in my study of autism, I seem to end up with additional questions and a more complex idea of it all. From the many interconnected risk factors for its development, to the uncertain societal solutions for supporting individuals with autism.
