Potential Causes And Risk Factors Associated With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Environmental Factors

There is ongoing research into how environmental factors may affect the presence and perceived severity of autism. One prevalent myth is vaccines cause autism, but it's crucial to note this has been equivocally proven false. In fact, the doctor who published the original study lost his license for falsifying data. Researchers are trying to ascertain whether air pollutants, pregnancy complications, medications, or viral infections have an impact on the development of autism. While autism is likely not caused by a disease or other environmental factors, it is true environmental factors can increase noticeable symptoms. For example, a child with autism in a bright and loud grocery store may have a sensory meltdown. The amount of sound and artificial light in our world today is far greater than it has been in the past. This means patients with autism are more likely to experience sensory distress and overstimulation. The same child who has a meltdown in a grocery store might, had they been born a few centuries ago, never have exhibited symptoms at all.

Keep reading to uncover more potential risk factors for autism now.