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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask you about the link between older mums having children who are diagnosed with autism

84 replies

mytartanscarf · 02/03/2015 12:50

This is something I worry about because I will undoubtedly be an 'older mum' if I do go on to have a child.

I have a brother with autism so I am also conscious of genetic factors.

Could anyone talk to me/reassure me? :)

OP posts:
HedgehogsDontBite · 02/03/2015 12:52

I have autism. My husband has autism. I had my daughter when I was 21. She has autism. I had DS at 41. He doesn't have autism. I believe that if age of mother was a significant factor there's no way DS would be NT.

Mamabear14 · 02/03/2015 12:52

I am 29, I was just 19 when I had my eldest who is autistic and 20 when I had ds2 who has autism, adhd and o.d.d. I am currently pregnant with dc3 so who knows if this one will be affected. I know that in my family my paternal uncle had some learning difficulties, not autism though so I'm unsure if it could be related.

neverputasockinatoaster · 02/03/2015 12:56

I had DS at 36. He has an ASD.
I had DD at 39 and she has PDA.

HOWEVER.....
DH has an ASD as do I most likely. My mum had me at 25 and DH's mum was a similar age when she had him.

My eldest BIL has an ASD and also learning difficulties and if you assessed my FIL, MIL, BIL and SIL as well as my Father they would all be found to have ASDs.

Personally I feel the age of the mother is unlikely to have an effect. I think the genetic link is more likely to have an effect.

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 02/03/2015 12:57

I'm not sure there is a proven link - there are so many theories floating around about what causes autism, but no clear front runners as far as I'm aware.

One possible explanation for the older mother link I've heard is that STEM-type people typically wait a little longer to ttc, and where you have two STEM-y type people there's a higher chance of autism. But anyone with a background is statistics (So not me!) would then be able to pull that apart - is it the STEM part or the age part which is the most important factor?

And FWIW I had DS at 35 (so that's an older mum) but I'm a totally arty-farty creative type, no STEM anywhere in my family, though DH is an IT geek type.

I think until we know what causes it (which I'm not sure I want to know anyway, but that's another thread) there isn't any real, proper evidence to build your choices on.

Original poster
mytartanscarf · 02/03/2015 13:00

Thanks for reassuring me. :) It's silly as I may never become a mum - but having gone through it with my brother, I just fear it in a child!

OP posts:
HedgehogsDontBite · 02/03/2015 13:03

From my own experience I suspect it's nothing to do with rate of autism and more to do with rate of diagnosis. Although my daughter was born when I was 21 she wasn't diagnosed until I was late 30s. In my 20s my concerns were always brushed aside or put down to lack parenting knowledge because I was 'only young'. As I gained the confidence which comes with age and experience I grew more able to stand against being fobbed off and insist that she was properly assessed. I suspect older mums' concerns are just taken more seriously.

Glittery7 · 02/03/2015 14:30

I had my first child aged 37. She is NT.
Second child at aged 39. She has autism.

I have no idea whatsoever if there's a link. I Certainly haven't heard of any research to support this theory.

Glittery7 · 02/03/2015 14:39

Having a child with autism isn't the worst thing in the world either.

Original poster
mytartanscarf · 02/03/2015 15:52

No but having experienced it second hand it's something I am worried about. Not for me either but for them.

OP posts:
NeedABumChange · 02/03/2015 16:14

Someone told me it was more to do with the mans age. Dunno if there is any fact in this though?

iniquity · 02/03/2015 16:16

There seems to be a link with older fathers.. Not sure about older mothers.

HiawathaDidntBotherTooMuch · 02/03/2015 16:26

I haven't heard of any links between ages of parents and autism in children. I am really interested, as I suspect that 2.10 yo DS2 has autism or social communication disorder. He certainly has a ever speech and language delay. I am battling to try and get a formal diagnosis but am thwarted at every turn.

I was 36 when I had him. DH was 35.

x2boys · 02/03/2015 16:26

my son has autism and learning difficulties he also has a rare chromosome disorder thought to have caused. I was 36 when he was born as age is a factor in chromosomal disorders than it is possible that it was my age I suppose ,chromosome disorders can be inherited from parents [ ie the parent can have the same disorder but have no apparent problems] but it wasent inherited in my sons case as both myself and dh have been tested and neither of us have it .

HiawathaDidntBotherTooMuch · 02/03/2015 16:26

No autism or special needs at all in either of our families, by the way. It's come as a huge shock.

ouryve · 02/03/2015 16:30

I had my boys in my mid 30s. They both had ASD.

But then again, my sister had her kids in her early 20s and her DS also has ASD.

x2boys · 02/03/2015 16:31

we got a diagnosis at three and a half HiawathaDidntBotherTooMuch.

Micah · 02/03/2015 16:32

Dh has two children from his first marriage. Both parents under 30, mother 25. Neither educated above GCSEs/a level, and no STEM interest. One dc severely autistic.

Second marriage both parents over 35, dh over 40. I have a higher degree in a stem subject. Both dc neurotypical.

I think unless a statician has actually run the numbers, it's just guesswork or anecdotal. The truth is there are no firm links with cause and effect for autism, even genetic. Except I think Fragile X.

MsAspreyDiamonds · 02/03/2015 16:33

One theory focuses on the age of the grandfather when he first became a father. The older he was (35+) the greater the chance for his grandchild to be autistic. It's something to do with poorer quality genetic material. It was on the BBC news health page last year, I can't remember the exact details. My dad was 40 when he first became a father & my ds has autism.

I do think it's a combination of various factors which collide together to cause autism & it's different for everyone.

ocelot41 · 02/03/2015 16:34

The National Autistic Society can put you in contact with a genetics counsellor who can assess risk with you if you want. We did that and it really helped us think things through

Killasandra · 02/03/2015 16:35

Having a brother with Autism does seriously increase the chances of your DC having Autism.

Not an easy decision to make.

OddBoots · 02/03/2015 16:35

I had ds at 21 (and dh was 28) and he has asd. I'm aware of some research that implicates paternal age but not any that relates to maternal age. I have read stuff about increased autism when both parents are in science /engineering/technology related careers.

Original poster
mytartanscarf · 02/03/2015 16:40

Thanks oce - that's helpful to know.

It is a difficult decision.

OP posts:
x2boys · 02/03/2015 16:40

there are no firm links between genetic links, but my sons chromosome disorder is a chromosome deletion so he has several genes deleted on chromosome 16 the very small piece of literature we got from unique[ The charity that supports families with children with rare chromosome disorders ] suggests that his deletion makes autism more likely which is why the geneticists believe it to be the cause of difficulties.

ocelot41 · 02/03/2015 16:43

It is indeed OP. My DF has ASD but our DS does not.

Flowerfae · 02/03/2015 16:44

not sure, I think it can be a mix of things. I was 21 when I had my eldest DS and he has autism, my younger two do not have autism.