Factors that affect before and during pregnancy are the main causes of autism in children, such as the mother’s use of some inappropriate drugs, chromosomal abnormalities or effects during childbirth. . Understanding the causes of autism will help parents have the most effective way to avoid this risk.
4 Reasons why children have autism
Autism spectrum disorder is a congenital disorder characterized by poor social interaction, repetitive stereotyped behaviors, and poor verbal communication. words, eyes. Currently, there is no method that can completely treat autism, but can only support patients to have a better quality of life and be more independent.
According to statistics, the number of children with autism is on an increasing trend, despite many warnings from the authorities. On the other hand, the current reality has not yet completely confirmed the exact cause of autism, but only temporarily identified factors that increase the risk of the disease. Understanding these risk factors is something parents need to learn from now on.
Specifically, the factors that are thought to be related to the cause of children with autism include
Genetic factors and genes
Chromosomal disorders and inherited disorders of genes or groups of genes are thought to be directly related to the causative agents of autism. Scientists have also found more than 100 mutations that are directly related to autism spectrum disorder SHANK3, NLGN4, DLG2, RN3C2, DYRK1A,SCN2A.. Statistics through tests also have about 25% of autism cases. century is related to this factor.
In addition, the Tuberous sclerosis gene and Fragile X syndrome are also thought to be one of the factors that are closely related to increasing the risk of autism in children. Studies have also shown that in identical twins, if one has the disorder, the other is also at increased risk. Or in the family, if there is a sibling who has autism, the children are also very susceptible to the disease.
It is also important to understand that the genetically modified genes involved in autism are often associated with neurotransmission. The mechanism of ASD inheritance is not the same as the Mendelian model of inheritance because many children with autism do not find dominant or recessive genes in their parents or even identical twins. On the other hand, mutant genes are also found in many genes, not just a single gene.
Another factor that is also thought to be related to the causes of autism in children is genetic diseases such as fragile X syndrome, congenital rubella, etc. If the child has other congenital diseases such as epilepsy, hyperactivity or mental retardation, it is also easy to have autism at the same time.
In general, although genetic mutations as well as genetic mechanisms are believed to be one of the clearest causes of autism in children, so far it has not been possible to study all of them, not fully grasp the mechanism, so the encountered many difficulties in prevention.
Effects during pregnancy
Autism is a congenital disease and often appears the “seeds” of disorders from the pregnancy itself. Of course, this does not mean that it is the mother’s fault because many factors can cause this disorder that even the mother herself, no matter how careful she is sometimes, cannot be controlled. It is important to understand this issue to avoid misconceptions with mothers of children with autism.
During pregnancy, the health of the mother is directly related to the development of the child. Therefore, some negative factors related to the living environment and health of the pregnant mother may be the cause of the child’s autism. Specifically like
- Habitat: Mothers living in a polluted environment, regularly inhaling and exposed to toxic chemicals and heavy metals also increase the risk of developmental disorders in the fetus.
- Age at pregnancy: In fact, women are often encouraged not to become pregnant and give birth after 35, especially after age 40. At this time, giving birth not only makes it difficult for the mother’s health and life, but also increases the risk of developing disorders in the fetus. Statistics show that the rate of children with autism in mothers who give birth after the age of 40 is much higher than those who become pregnant at the age of 20.
- Using some drugs that are not suitable for pregnancyDuring pregnancy, pregnant women are always advised by doctors to control the use of western medicines because they can affect the natural development of the fetus. Most western medicines always come with some bad side effects, in pregnant women, taking the wrong medicine can be the cause of autism in children. In which, some antidepressants, tranquilizers, antiepileptic drugs are all drug groups that have a risk of causing disease.
- Thyroid disordersSome studies have shown that in people with thyroid disorders during pregnancy, it often disrupts some hormones and also lacks the hormone tyroxin and affects the brain structure that is being formed in the fetus.
- Stress, stress during pregnancy: Changes in hormones, body, and health are the causes of physiological changes in pregnant women, making these women more susceptible to stress. If this condition is not improved soon, pregnant mothers always live in stress, lack of energy, lethargy, cry a lot, lack of sleep leading to depression or anxiety disorder, it will increase the risk of the baby having this disorder. congenital autism.
- Mother has a number of diseases: Maternal infections, poisoning, measles, diabetes are also thought to be risk factors for changing the fetus’s brain, causing the child to have problems in communication, language, and behavior.
Influence from the time of birth is the cause of children with autism
Some effects from childbirth, such as mothers born less than 37 months prematurely, babies under 2.5 pounds, children with hypoxia at the time of birth are also thought to increase the risk of autism in some children. Some other factors at the time of birth such as traumatic brain injury due to obstetric intervention, mercury poisoning, neurological infection or meningeal bleeding can also be the cause of autistic children.
The reason is that these effects at the time of birth also cause brain disorders that cause abnormal brain structure changes. On the other hand, groups of children with these problems are also at high risk for many other diseases, which directly affect both physical and mental development, so absolutely do not be subjective.
Environmental factors
As mentioned, the environmental factor here is the mother’s exposure to toxic chemicals, polluted environment, and heavy metals for a long time, right before and during pregnancy. In fact, studies have also shown that living environment (related to family factors, parental education) has little to do with these brain disorders, most of which are related to pollution. environment or toxic metals.
However, a problem that many people confuse today is that autism is caused by parents’ lack of attention and lack of interaction with their children. Autism is a congenital disorder whose exact cause cannot be determined. The living environment or the absence of love from parents only makes the condition more serious, more difficult to treat, but cannot be considered a cause. disease-causing agent. Maybe it just increases the risk of disease.
However, the lack of parental love causes autism is still controversial because, as mentioned, the causes of children with autism are extremely complex that scientists have not been able to discover yet. end.
Preventing children from having autism spectrum disorder
The sad thing today is that there is no cure for autism. All interventions, sooner or later, are only aimed at improving the quality of life, helping autistic children to integrate into life like normal people, be independent and not completely dependent on their families. family. However, the reality is that only and percentage of people with autism can be independent (mainly Asperger’s disorder group), and most are dependent on family care for the rest of their lives.
At the same time, as mentioned, it is not possible to fully grasp the cause of autism in children, so the prevention of the risk of disease is still not 100% guaranteed. However, being well equipped with knowledge about this disease, taking care of the health and well-being of pregnant women from an early age will help minimize the risk of disease.
Therefore, in order to minimize the risk of children with autism, families should pay attention to the following issues:
- Change the living environment, healthy workplace, stay away from polluted places, many chemicals or contact with heavy metals.. Everyone needs to live in a healthy, fresh, clean environment. pregnant women only. If because of the nature of work, it is always necessary to ensure that you are fully equipped with protective clothing to protect your own health.
- Best health control, absolutely do not arbitrarily use any medicine without a prescription from a doctor, especially pain relievers, sedatives. Even functional foods should consult a pharmacist, have a health check to know which nutrient deficiency you have to start supplementing. People who experience stress or depression during pregnancy need to notify their doctor early to be prescribed the most appropriate drug groups.
- Periodic health check-ups, screening for birth defects. In fact, there are currently no specific measures that can screen children for autism early, but health checks will help mothers detect abnormal health problems for themselves and their babies. thereby providing timely control.
- Keep the spirit of happiness, optimism, limit negative thoughts during pregnancy. To do this, it is necessary to have the right support and attention from the family, especially the husband. Pregnant women are often very irritable, so the husband needs to be really persistent, share and confide every day to eliminate inappropriate thoughts and avoid the risk of depression.
- Supplement a healthy diet, use foods of clear and transparent origin, do not use dirty foods. Priority should be given to eating cooked and drinking boiling water, limiting the abuse of too much fat or spices. Especially stay away from stimulants, tobacco, and alcoholic beverages
- Fully vaccinate mothers during pregnancy to minimize the causes of autism in children
- If the mother is being treated for diseases or taking drugs for a long time, exposure to chemicals should wait a while before becoming pregnant to limit the negative effects on the development of the baby.
- Start talking, reading and listening to music from the time you are in the womb to increase bonding with your baby.
- Should not be pregnant at a too old age, and also should keep the interval between pregnancies for several years, should not give birth too close together.
- Babies in the first 24 months should avoid close contact with TVs, cell phone waves or other electronic devices
- Make sure to get enough sleep, spend time exercising every day
- Newborns after the first 24 months are the “golden time” to detect and treat autism (if any) to help children reduce symptoms and increase their ability to integrate into community life. attention period.
- If you find your child has symptoms of autism, you need to see a doctor for a detailed examination, do not assert or self-treat your child.
The causes of autism in children are very complex, although many studies have been carried out over the past decades, it is still not possible to fully grasp the mechanism of the disease. Every family, every parent needs to understand this disease, change their life to be healthier and more active to minimize the risk of children having autism spectrum disorder.
