Age Of Both The Parents Linked To Autism

A major study confirms a greater risk of autism in child, if either of the parents is within 35 to 39 years of age during conception.

But, if both the parents fall in this age-group, it doesn’t further increase the chances of autism than if either of them is, marked the research.

If the mother is at or above 40 years of age while the father is under 35, the risk higher by 65 percent and if we swap the age between the two, the threat would higher by 44 percent, says the study.

The Study
Experienced researchers from Denmark and Cambridge are working side by side on the study as autism is a rising concern at present.

The research in Denmark listed around 1.3 million children born in between 1980 to 2003. The research results were published based on 9,556 autistic spectrum cases out of those 1.3 million children.

All 9,556 children were diagnosed with child disorders like Asperger’s syndrome, Autism or other normal growth disorders.

The complete study could be verified in the journal Annals of Epidemiology.

The study not exhaustive

Professor Erik Thorlund Parne of Denmark, who led the study, said: "The (old) explanation was that new mutations in the sperm increases the risk for autism, and that new mutations in the egg increases the risk for autism.

One would then expect that if a couple had these particular mutations in both the sperm and the egg, then they would have a higher risk for autism than if only one parent had the particular mutation. We don't see this pattern."

Therefore it confirms that the age could not be the only factor linked to autism.

The adverse effects of other environmental factors which can cause autism, such as infection, fertility cure and other drugs, could not be ruled out. Hence a comprehensive research is yet to be conducted on the subject, confirmed the experts.

The research also recommends older parents should seek medical help if their child shows delayed developmental symptoms.