Is autisim genetic? - Autism Spectrum Message Board

lizardlady81 · 03-01-2004, 02:09 PM

I apologize in advance if this topic has been covered before.
Is autism genetic?
I have two aunts and they both have autistic sons. I also have a cousin that has an autistic son. I'd never really given it too much thought until the other day when someone asked me if I was worried about having more children because of the amount of autistic people in my family. Should I be concerned or does genetics not play any role in autism?
Thanks for any info.

datgrlstef · 03-11-2004, 06:39 PM

I have a 6 yr old cousin who is autistic, but no one else in my family (or his dad's family- that I know of) is.

Charliesmom · 03-14-2004, 07:57 AM

An article someone dropped off at my work for me a few weeks ago in USA Today commented on the possiblity of the gene being passed down and the MERCURY based preservative that was being used in the vaccines. There was something about a 1000% rise in Autism rates within a 10 year period. However, the preservative was phased out in 2000 (I think that's what it said about phasing out).

The preservative factor would have been viable for my son, but my sister's 18 year old Williams Syndrome child would have been too old for that 10 year period, and it doesn't explain the later diagnoses.

I don't know if they will ever figure it out. But I know one thing, SOMETHING is triggering Autism. It can't be JUST genetics, because there would have been more of it in history and in families.

Maybe someone will track it down soon.

shue · 03-14-2004, 08:19 PM

According to something I just read, it appears that autism is closely related to ADD/ADHD, Dyslexia, and depression. Learning disabilities are all over my husband's side and depression is all over mine.
As for all the vaccination stuff: I just don't know. I do not blindly trust our government or doctors and I certainly don't believe that the pharmeceutical cos. have our concerns at heart. I also do not believe that my daughter's autism is realted to vaccines. She is not a disentagrative case. She was atypical from the beginning, but I was too inexperienced and overwhelmed with twins to notice at the time. When their ped asked me the developmetnal questions at their well-baby check-ups, I answered with both of them in mind and with my NT child at the forefront. I did not comprehend the significance of eye-contact and her lack of cuddliness. And as she developed into an aloof and solemn child, I still didn't think much about it. Her ped. flagged her at 18 mo. for a speech delay and ECI picked up on the other stuff as time went on, esp. after an ugly incident with a child care worker at a church. I was furious with her at the time, but I am grateful to that woman now. If she hadn't been so insensitive, who knows how much longer we would have travailed blindly down the path.
I don't care about, "Why?" right now. I just want some relief for her and our family. I want her to have the best opportunity at independence that she can. I wish I was certain what would happen if we decided to add to our family, but I can't go there right now either.
It is such a mystery, this whole syndrome.

Charliesmom · 03-15-2004, 05:41 AM

You know... Charlie's problems are hard to pinpoint on the "when" also.

He was born with 3 hernia's, 2 repaired at 6 weeks, 1 had to be redone and then his belly button. The one that had to be repaired a 2nd time was done at 18 months.... he finally started walking the NEXT DAY. Plus he was toungue tied (fixed that at 9 months since he couldn't take a spoon to eat). The Dr didn't seem too concerned about the walking because he was a hefty baby. Plus my mother-in-law was in the habit of doing everything for him including talking (she was his babysitter instead of daycare).

He was the type of baby that wanted to be loved on, but when he was done he wanted to be put down... especially at bed time. But, we don't know if that was an adversion to being held. I was the same way as a baby.

We have to look at "why", because of my nephew. For us, we can't help it, because it's trying to run in our family. To top off 2 children in my immediate family--my sister has 5 children, the one with Williams, one that is extremely "high strung" (hasn't been diagnosed with anything else yet), one that is unable to accomplish anything because of depression and anxiety (I suspect "Failure to Produce"--a newly discovered disorder) and one that was recently diagnosed with dyslexia. The youngest has yet to be diagnosed with anything--however he's only 6.

I know what you are saying for you, and I'm not putting you down for it. Believe me, I wish I were more in your shoes. But the "why" question is staring me in the face. It scares me and my sister to death that it will continue down our blood line in the future.