Study: Moms' Obesity Tied to Autism

Pregnant women have another reason to watch their weight and exercise. In a new study, moms who were obese during pregnancy were about 67 percent more likely than normal-weight women to have autistic children. Findings were published Monday in Pediatrics. Though the researchers said the study doesn't prove that obesity causes autism, they cautioned that it's worrisome, especially considering rising U.S. obesity rates.

 If future research does indeed substantiate the findings, "the good part is, it's modifiable," study author Irva Hertz-Picciotto, an environmental epidemiologist at the University of California-David, said. "It can be controlled." The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently estimated that 1 in 88 children in the U.S. has an autism spectrum disorder. Autism, a developmental disorder, is characterized by symptoms like problems with socialization, communication, and behavior.

Signs Your Child Could Have Autism

With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that one in every 88 children has autism—up from one in 156 in 2002—you might be wondering how to recognize the signs and symptoms of the developmental disorder.

While it's not clear what's driving the uptick in prevalence, and the precise causes of autism are still unknown, experts are calling for earlier diagnosis. "We have to get this down to 18 months of age to truly have the greatest impact," says Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC. Doctors have gotten better at identifying autism symptoms in younger children—four is the average age of diagnosis—but "four years old is still too late," he says. Frieden stresses that the earlier a child is identified with autism, the more likely it is that behavioral intervention will make the disability more manageable. Parents may be able to spot symptoms of autism before a child's first birthday, says Coleen Boyle, who heads up the CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. "Parents know their child best, but if they do have concerns, the important thing is not to wait [to seek help]," she says. Susan Hyman, who chairs the American Academy of Pediatrics subcommittee on autism, strongly recommends having children screened by a child development specialist at 18, 24, and 30 months.

Source: USA News

Posted in: Health