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what do you think causes ASD??

122 replies

sleepyhorse · 02/05/2011 18:56

Just wondered if anyone knows as I can't seem to find any website that pinpoints the causes. Is it unknown?

OP posts:
Becaroooo · 06/05/2011 17:36

ds1 has always had a big head! The GP at his 6 week check made a note of it in his red book! (large forehead too)

Becaroooo · 06/05/2011 17:38

Sorry, dame I only took 2 paracetamols (which I have beat myself up about every day since!) and 1 x lot of ABs for a nasty sinus infection.

Oh, and about 30 gallons of Gavison Sad

thederkinsdame · 06/05/2011 17:42

Don't be sorry, Becaroo Smile I really hope it wasn't responsible, as so many people take them! The other thing I wonder about is pollution from when we were kids. If you think about it, there were nasties in all sorts of things, from paint, to furniture (formaldehyde, PCBs you name it) and I know that researchers believe these are stored in our bodies and could change our DNA. There are so many possibilities and I hope that one day we'll all know the answer.

mummyplum · 06/05/2011 17:43

thederkinsdame I don't think that is a known cause.....and as a person who was offered anti-d's during PG but turned them down - the only risk i was made aware of was premature birth or mild learning difficulties, but the dose I was offered was so low & i was so far along that it would not of affected my DD.

Becaroooo · 06/05/2011 17:48

...I wonder about that too dame

I live/d in a quite rural area and used to play in the fields where we lived all the time...2 of our cats died after being poisoned by stuff the farmers left out to kill vermin Sad

Does make me wonder......then again, as a child of the 70s, I am constantly amazed that I survived at all Grin

ArthurPewty · 06/05/2011 17:55

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ArthurPewty · 06/05/2011 17:56

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anonandlikeit · 06/05/2011 18:02

I think its a group of symptoms and behaviours, sometimes there is a genetic link and a strong family history of ASD.

For others (particularly when bowel & stomach problems) environmental triggers may cause ASD when genetically they are predisopsed to auto immune type conditions

Others (in ds2's case) it is the result of brain injury/birth trauma.

Sometimes there is more than one factor involved.

Of course this is just my humble opinion.

Becaroooo · 06/05/2011 18:28

sigh.....

I didnt say children arent damaged by vaccines, Leonie!

I said exactly the opposite. I know they are. I chose to vaccinate. You didnt. Difference is, I respect your decision.

LeninGrad · 06/05/2011 18:37

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LeninGrad · 06/05/2011 18:40

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thederkinsdame · 06/05/2011 18:46

See, I had the opposite - DS has big head, but was completely hyper during PG. He's still like that now.

Becaroooo · 06/05/2011 18:47

lenin Ds1 had undx IUGR - was 4lbs 15ox at birth and pretty ill afterwards (couldnt really feed - bf or ff), was very floppy, prolonged jaundice...I could go on Sad

I only had 1 scan with him (at 20 weeks) and it showed average growth. Had a scan 18 hours before he was born (was in early labour but didnt know it!) and they estimated 7lbs for that reason I think....would love to see my maternity notes but they got "lost" by the hospital Hmm

Becaroooo · 06/05/2011 18:48

...yes...ds1 very active in utero!!!

SenSationsMad · 06/05/2011 18:50

Interesting thread. I think its to do with genetics, but have been wondering about DS's vontuse (*sp?) delivery. Any thoughts???

ArthurPewty · 06/05/2011 19:04

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Becaroooo · 06/05/2011 19:05

mad Its only my personal opinion but I think any intervention can have consequences....whether its short term (bruising, swelling, low BP, high BP, cranial moulding etc) or long term (muscle damage, nerve damage, brain damage)

Some interventions are desperately needed (sometimes its literally a case of life or death!) so I dont think it wise to beat ourselves up about it.

In my case, ds1 was a textbook vaginal delivery, albeit a bit fast! I had TENS for pain relief and was upright/active all the time.

Ds1 was born with severe moulding to the back of his skull - dont know why...perhaps his position in utero???

I dont drink, dont smoke, ate healthily......

Becaroooo · 06/05/2011 19:07

ds2 had a 38cms head at birth and its 52 cms now!!!! He is 2.5.

ds1's head seems average to me, although his forehead has always seemed a bit large (?)

mum0fthree · 06/05/2011 20:23

I believe that ASD is caused by a genetic predisposition exacerbated by enviromental factors.

I believe that my DS was autistic from birth he is my third child and totally different from his NT siblings. I took medication when pregnant for sickness, Metoclopramide (Reglan) people in the US are suing the makers for causing Tardive dykensis and I totally believe that this med caused my DS ASD.

The symptoms, behaviours of people on the spectrum are so widely varying that is makes sense that the causes are also varied.

Although Wakefield et al study doesn't prove MMR and Autism are linked neither does the study bandied about in the media disprove his theory. Here is a link to an interesting discussion regarding both studies.

www.bmj.com/content/322/7284/460.abstract/reply

ArthurPewty · 06/05/2011 20:46

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moosemama · 06/05/2011 20:58

My ds had IUGR and was closely monitored for the whole of the last trimester. I sometimes wonder about the number of scans he had as a result - he had weekly doppler and growth scans, plus some other additional scans.

His abdominal measurement was off the bottom scale and everthing else was tracking the 2nd centile. He had a growth spurt in the last week before my due date and ended up on the 9th centile (he has been on it ever since) but when he was born, his head measured a couple of centiles higher than everywhere else. (I can't remember the exact figures and am too lazy tired to go and get his red book.) He was 6lb 9oz when he was born, but really skinny. My other two dcs were ds2 7lb 12oz and dd 7lb 8oz.

He was a back to back prolonged labour (3 days) followed by syntocin drip then an epidural, which I was basically bullied into having because I was exhausted and they felt my muscles were too tight and would relax better one the epi was done. The mw topped up the epi in error when I said I was feeling a lot of pain, then his heart rate dropped through the floor and the room filled with a ridiculous number of people, including the registrar who geared up to do a kiwi ventouse delivery, but one big push and there he was - no ventouse necessary and with a decent apgar. The hospital said the deceleration was actually ds moving into the birth canal very quickly, but I have always wondered about it.

Other than that, I had a really healthy pregnancy with just one odd episode of raised bloodpressure (I normally have very low blood pressure) where I had two days bed rest and it settled right down.

We have a clear genetic link on dh's father's side and a highly probably genetic link on my mother's side as well.

mummyplum · 06/05/2011 21:06

The posts about IUGR, how odd as i often wonder if this is what happened to DD? I was massive, she was estimated to be 8-9lb - born around 5lb 2oz really tiny although full term and quite a shock for us!

ArthurPewty · 06/05/2011 21:08

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thederkinsdame · 06/05/2011 21:10

Another one with lots of scans and decelerations for many hours...

mummyplum · 06/05/2011 21:27

I have read that small for gestational age does infact increase the incidence of ASD; i don't think it is a direct cause though.

Take a look here here. Mind you I guess this thread just proves there are many factors to be considered.