To have another baby when my first is autistic?

I have a very large family . We have multiple medical conditions (most genetic so we knew that it was likely some/all of dc would have them). Plus 6 have ASD and 3 of those have adhd too.
Also have a couple of other non genetic issues that were just bad luck.

i wouldn’t change things for the world I feel exhausted yes but privileged to have the children I do. Everything takes longer and goals are harder to achieve but we get there.

Oh just realised this is a resurrected thread!

I know an adult who is high functioning ASD and their younger sibling isn't (or at least it's not obvious enough for them to be assessed). In fact, I've wondered whether one of the parents may have traits, but again, this would be high functioning. As a child I don't think he was thought to be high functioning (but perhaps they've got better with assessing this now) but he's now married, has a good job, a home, has a child of his own. Only mentioning that as a PP said about whether they are high or low functioning to help with the decision. I know he was a handful growing up, but no experience of my own to know what that really involved! I would have another personally, but I haven't been in your shoes bringing up an ASD child.

A very old post but a similar situation to me - OP what did you end up doing ? Did you go for another baby ?

I haven't had time to read all the responses but I would say go for it.

You are still at a very early stage in terms of getting your head around everything. It will get easier. Much more than you know. The first few years are the hardest.

You might regret it if you don't. I know you might regret it if you do, but the odds of that are smaller.

Good luck!

Yes, my brother is autistic but that's not going to stop him or me. All I know is I'm right behind him whatever he does and I think his life is really enhanced by me but then mine is too by him. mytartanscarf

Lovely

My DD has classic autism

"Girls are less likely to be autistic and when they do have hfa/aspergers it is often more hidden as is easier for them to blend into society than boys." This is very similar to what I was taught in my first Autism class in 1999 ish. But then they said that girls seemed to be much worse affected.

In fact girls are less likely to be spotted, and a significant number have issues as teens/adults as they can't understand why the rest of the world is so different to them.

I think decisions like this will become a bit clearr for the next generation with cheaper and easier gene testing,might make statistics more personalised etc.but obviously not now.

Rox a valid opinion, but when genes are altered not only in conception but via toxins in pregnancy gene testing would have to be done continuously throughout pregnancy.

I hope the future involves more epidemiological research where the food intake/additives, air pollution and other environmental factors children are exposed to in pregnancy are fully reported and accounted for.

Girls are less likely to be autistic and when they do have hfa/aspergers it is often more hidden as is easier for them to blend into society than boys. So one option is to try some of the conception techniques that would increase the chance of you having a dd. (Although some of these are a bit 'old wives tales' rather than scientific)

Cant add anything just wanted to empathise.

I think decisions like this will become a bit clearr for the next generation with cheaper and easier gene testing,might make statistics more personalised etc.but obviously not now.

I have 3 boys, oldest DS is mildly autistic, DS2 was already 1 when he was diagnosed, and DS3 was an, ahem, 'happy accident.' Neither DS 2 & 3 are autistic, and DS1 and 2 play (usually!) very nicely together.
I wouldn't be without any of them.
It's up to you OP, I guess you can say there are all sorts of risks with every pregnancy/baby.
Hope these comments help.

Perhaps

www.autismspeaks.org/science/research-initiatives/environmental-factors-autism-initiative

This is an informative website.

aussiemum, we were looking for answers why Dd is so different (severe asd, LD etc). No family history and we were toying with the idea of another child.

Paed referred us to genetics who did microarray testing on Dd. They found s deletion (very rare, less than 20 cases known) which is associated with Asd. So they tested me and DP and we don't carry this deletion.So Dd's deletion must have been a random new mutation when we conceived her.

Aussie mum my ds also has a rare chromosome disorder thought to have caused his ASD and learning difficulties his genetic testing was the microarray blood test which shows he has a microdeletion on his sixteenth chromosome this disorder can be inherited from a parent or just something that occurs on conception myself and dh have been tested and neither of us carry the deletion so it occurred on conceptipn

Should have mentioned I also became disabled and seriously ill with in a year of having our 5TH DC but life's still pretty good.So it can be done Op and you can still have a pretty good quality of life.

Following on from a post way upthread with this link www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/288574.php

I would also say, don't ignore environmental factors. Factors such as toxins in pregnancy can cause gene mutations as the baby develops so any blanket risk factor given to you by your doctor should be scrutinised carefully.

It could be a food additive or a medication.

Many everyday medications have never been tested for their impact on babies. They experiment on rats and if certain traits are observed in the rats then it is deemed a risk. It's not the most effective way of doing it but for various reasons it is the established method. I suspect a huge number of tests don't show evidence of risk when there may be one.

I would urge anyone with questions about risk to read up about gene mutation caused by environmental effects.

I have 5DC our 3rd born DS now 13 is autistic,his sister 4th born DD 11 is not,our 5th born DD 7 is also autistic.Our two oldest son's 18 and 16 are not autistic.

We wouldn't give back our youngest for the world she is amazing and she has an amazing bond with all of her brothers and her sister and she and our autistic son really get each other.It's lovely to watch them playing together.

You know what your own life is like at the moment,what you need to think about is do you think you could cope okay if you did have another child that was autistic.It never even entered into it for us that are youngest would be autistic.I honestly didn't know there would be a higher chance,no one told us.But I still don' think it would have changed my mind even if they had.

If you work in the City, I would assume you are pretty numerate? Does your DH have a similar job, or engineering or computing?
Autism can be very different for different individuals, it has historically been under diagnosed in girls and also "higher functioning" individuals. Do you also have any history of depression in your family? Being a square peg in a round holed world can lead to feelings that have often been diagnosed as depression.
The 15-20 percent figure includes HFA which might be similar to the quirky members of your family.

However you don't have to have another child, it is your decision. What can you cope with emotionally? Financially two children cost more than 1 and both may require extra resources as they get older.

BTW no one would have even thought my DC with Aspergers was on the spectrum at 2, and it would have been difficult for anyone to suspect at 5 (although it would have been useful if we'd known). Even now you might just think she was quirky or had a short temper if you didn't know.

Chocnomorechoc - what genetic testing?

I have a Pten gene mutation which is actually a "breast cancer" gene and very rare but I've read studies that suggest many autistic children have undiagnosed Pten mutations.

Therefore it worries me in falling pregnant again. Not to mention the cancer risk for any children I have.

Op is genetics an option? If your son have a recognised gene fault it could be screened for using IVF?

" if he's going to be high functioning and have a great life that's quite different from needing care your whole life."

These sort of statements make me very sad

My DD has fairly severe non verbal autism and is rewarding and very happy. And so are we, despite being tired.