If you have autism / adhd etc were you premature

[CatMumSlave]

I was born 2 months early and I have several diagnosis. I'm wondering if there is a connection.

Adhd and I was 7 weeks early.

My daughter is exactly the same!

How can the mum chose when the baby comes

DS1 (diagnosed) was 2 weeks overdue (but arrived just before my scheduled induction). He’s my DDad all over again…genetics.

I don't blame my mum for me being early. She had to go home and visit be every day for 8 weeks.

I have ADHD and was born after my due date.

Yes, I was early, but not very (probably 4-5 weeks; I'm too old for accurate predictions).

DS1 is more affected and was overdue.

I have adhd, possibly asd. Not prem. ds1 adhd&asd 16 days late. Ds2 adhd & asd 10 days late

My DD was born a month early and has ASD and probably ADHD. Family members also have traits of both (would probably be diagnosed, but wasn't the sort of thing tested for when young). Its definitely a case of genetics rather than being born early in her case.

Yes by 6 weeks. My children who are asd were all a week late. Although I guess by that point there was a potential genetic link.

I don't mean to cause offence with this post.

No one has said I have but I can see why some wouldn't like it.

I think I'll report it and see if MN think it needs deleting.

You've just reminded me, yes, I/we had the prebirth steroids 2 or 3 doses, I cannot remember which. I was told by a friend who's a medical professional that there is a strong link between steroids prebirth and autism.

@MadamMaltesers

I've been on the list over 2 years to get dd12 an adhd assessment. Get on there quick.

I'm not offended at all. No one is, to blame for premature birth. It's just the way some pregnancies go.

My son has aspergers and I blame paracetamol during the first trimester. I was suffering from horrendous migraine and had severe morning sickness. Dr prescribed strong paracetamol with I think codeine. I must have taken paracetamol every day for the 1st 4 or 5 months. Under Dr advice. It was only 15 years after thalidomide so paracetamol was all you could have.

I would be interested in seeing if there's a link with paracetamol, especially heavy use in the 1st trimester.

Son was 6 weeks early but all my kids were 6+ weeks early and he's the only one on the spectrum

My mum took a certain medication and she said it could have been that but I can't remember what it was.

There’s definitely a connection between premature birth and neurodivergence. That doesn’t mean that it isn’t also genetic.

I was a 28 weeker and I have AuDHD. My children are both autistic and I can see autistic traits in my mum, and her dad.

DD was bang on time - although shesbang on time for everything and hates being late sooo.....

I did have hyperemesis when pregnant.

They also found that during her second trimester her head was growing long and thin a bit like a rugby ball shape and then rectified itself by the third. Some scientists have linked this growth pattern as a biomarker as it was common in boys with autism although not so much with girls.

It has also been linked to the methylated neurones etc which I don't quite understand as it's abit medical for me.

However I think if you are only slightly premature and most of the foundations of the brain have been laid then it's unlikely to impact anything - but that's just my own ponderings

No. Full term good weight

Both my sons were premature (6 and 8 weeks early), had low birth weights and spent a very long time in hospital. Neither been diagnosed with adhd or autism but both definitely have traits. I was also born 8 weeks early and also have strong traits.

I don't think there is anything to be gained from trying to pin it down to one thing. The "too much oxygen" is a new one to me. Is your mum a bit inclined to black and white thinking perhaps?

Born a few days early. But I'm more likely to have ASD due to my neurological condition

Me and my son have ADHD, both born after due date. I’m convinced we’ve inherited it from
my mum’s side of the family

DH is autistic and was born pre-term as was DS also autistic, but both late pre-term. DD was full term so no, but did have low heart rate and was born by emergency c section, although her apgar scores at birth were fine and she is also autistic.

Autism definitely has a strong genetic component, but it is known that pre-term infants are at higher risk for autism spectrum disorder from the research. They are also more at risk from other developmental issues too. Recent studies have concluded that autism is likely due to the presence of multiple factors.

With pre-term babies under a certain weight too much oxygen can cause retinopathy of prematurity, not autism.

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240213/Researchers-find-no-significant-link-between-preterm-delivery-and-autism.aspx

https://www.thetransmitter.org/spectrum/studies-challenge-link-between-premature-birth-and-autism/

As a few other posters have said, it's not an either/or situation. There's a strong genetic influence on autism/ADHD, but prematurity may also contribute. That doesn't mean that all premature babies will be ND, nor that all ND people were premature.