Autism Causes

Autism is a highly complex disorder, with no single known cause. Although some infants are apparently born with autism, many children develop symptoms between 3 and 5 years of age (known as 'regressive' autism), and there are no consistent causes to explain all autism cases.

Most experts agree some autism causes are genetic. Certain disorders, such as depression and dyslexia, are expecially common in families that later have autistic children. Other apparently genetic issues are common in autistic individuals, that may contribute to the onset of symptoms, such as impaired immune systems and food sensitivities.

In many cases, autism symptoms first appear shortly after a child receives their combined measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) or diptheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT) vaccine. Many parents are working towards greater availability of individual vaccines as a result. In other cases, symptoms may appear after repeated childhood illness treated with antibiotics, leading to the theory that candida overgrowth toxicity resulting from impaired intestinal flora may be a trigger.

Other suspected causes or contributing factors for autism include food allergies, most commonly casein (milk protein) and wheat gluten, which aren't completely digested by the autistic individual, and have drug-like effects on the patient's system. In other cases, unusually high incidence of autism has been noted in communities with exposure to toxic manufacturing pollution.

In general, regressive autism's potential causes seem to commonly point to individuals with particularly senstive immune, digestive or nervous systems being exposed to a substance that causes a severe adverse reaction. It is likely that a single cause for autism will never be discovered, but if symptoms of at-risk children can be identified, perhaps preventative measures can be taken in more cases.

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