Risk of Autism in Siblings Higher Than Thought
Kids with an older autistic sibling are more likely to develop the condition than experts previously believed. Past research suggested children had a 3 to 10 percent chance of being diagnosed with the developmental disorder if they had an older sibling with autism. But those estimates were based on a small number of families and an outdated definition of autism. A new study puts the risk at 19 percent; 32 percent if a child has more than one older sibling with the disorder, according to a study published today in Pediatrics. The findings are based on an analysis of 664 infants across the United States and Canada who had at least one older brother or sister with autism. "It's the first thing families ask: How likely is this to happen again?" study author Sally Ozonoff of the University of California—Davis told NPR. "We are able to supply some answers. This should mean there is more careful monitoring and screening beyond the usual questions at a normal well-child visit. Drilling down into the things that we know are early signs of autism—interest in people, responding to their name, responding to other people, smiling at other people." Closer screening of younger siblings will hopefully lead to earlier diagnoses and better outcomes; treatment is most likely to work if it's started early.
Kids with an older autistic sibling are more likely to develop the condition than experts previously believed. Past research suggested children had a 3 to 10 percent chance of being diagnosed with the developmental disorder if they had an older sibling with autism. But those estimates were based on a small number of families and an outdated definition of autism. A new study puts the risk at 19 percent; 32 percent if a child has more than one older sibling with the disorder, according to a study published today in Pediatrics. The findings are based on an analysis of 664 infants across the United States and Canada who had at least one older brother or sister with autism. "It's the first thing families ask: How likely is this to happen again?" study author Sally Ozonoff of the University of California—Davis told NPR. "We are able to supply some answers. This should mean there is more careful monitoring and screening beyond the usual questions at a normal well-child visit. Drilling down into the things that we know are early signs of autism—interest in people, responding to their name, responding to other people, smiling at other people." Closer screening of younger siblings will hopefully lead to earlier diagnoses and better outcomes; treatment is most likely to work if it's started early.
No comments:
Post a Comment