Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

What do you think caused it? ASD/ Autism

67 replies

2006hildy · 12/04/2013 23:03

Never mind all the claptrap written, papers published, media hysteria, ect. What do you personally think caused it? ASD/ Autism

I don't want to bash all the valuable work done out there already. But us MNetters have sorted out a lot already maybe we could help sort this question.

Mine is a dodgy combination of genes between me and DH. Even before we got the dx this was my honest gut instinct that DS1 got the best genes out of the two of us and ds2 got the worst. This sounds bad but I love him dearly.

Since then all kinds of things have gone through my head. I don't want to say too much as I don't want to influence your answers.

OP posts:

ouryve · 12/04/2013 23:10

It's definitely genetic in my family. Every single male member on my mum's side has it, or traits, and the women haven't escaped totally. I have a lot of traits, myself. So does DH - typical computer geek. We clearly have the classic Silicon Valley combination of genes.

defineme · 12/04/2013 23:16

Genes: dh's family has lots of members brushed by asd, people living perfectly normal lives that just happen to be a bit anxious/obsessive/socially inept and for some reason ds1 got it full force.

FrustratedSycamoresRocks · 12/04/2013 23:18

I'm going to go with
I don't care what caused it, if anything at all caused it. And I personally don't think there was anything that "caused" it.
For us it is part of what makes dd, dd.
Looking for a reason why doesn't change the fact that she has autism, and we can't take it away. I could guilt trip myself all year about whether I did something, or didnt do something, or passed something on, or.. etc etc. but it wouldn't l change anything, and it wouldn't make our lives any simpler.

CouthySaysEatChoccyEggs · 12/04/2013 23:29

Genetics. My Dbro has Aspergers, I score 43 on the AQA online test, and would fit an Asperger's dx.

So the fact that 3/4 of my DC's definitely have and ASC, and the 4th is being mooted for Aspergers really doesn't surprise me.

For DS2 & DS3, who share the same father (but different to the older two), it is even LESS surprising, considering that their father was dxd with Autism when he was 12, and attended an SN Secondary...

It's the Autistic leading the Autistic in my house!

PolterGoose · 13/04/2013 08:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Badvoc · 13/04/2013 09:01

Genetic

beautifulgirls · 13/04/2013 09:14

100% genetic here, DD has a partial chromosomal deletion on a known autism susceptible site.

bigbluebus · 13/04/2013 09:17

No history of ASD on either side of the family as far as we know, so not really sure.
However, it has crossed my mind, more than once, that it was possibly caused by the botched CVS test I had done when 10 weeks pregnant with DS, where the Consultant (who hadn't done many of these before and had a room full of people watching) actually had to go back in twice with the needle and take more placenta cells. The procedure is known to cause miscarriage and is linked with bits of limbs being missing, due to loss of oxygen, so I wonder if it could be responsible for that reason.
But DS is HF and copes well with life most of the time, and the test was necessary as DD has a chromosome disorder - so I don't give it more than a fleeting thought from time to time.
It definitely wasn't MMR though, as he only had that this week and he is 16

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 13/04/2013 09:19

No idea. Possibly because I was ill a lot in pregnancy.

But could well be a chromosome disorder not discovered yet, DD has many issues.

Not a lot of ASD in either family

flowwithit · 13/04/2013 10:15

I think its probably genetic too and i can see strong traits on both sides. My ds was ill a lot when he was little with infections and pneumonia and it was also around the time of mmr scare so he had single jabs but no booster. We were advised to give him the swine flu I didn't want to really but did because of his asthma then he had a bad reaction to it with fever etc. now they advise its not for under 20yrs because of narcolepsy

ImTooHecsyForYourParty · 13/04/2013 10:18

genetic. several members of my family have autistic traits. It's certainly come from me.

DiscoDonkey · 13/04/2013 10:22

I would say genetic predisposition with other factors influencing it.

Dunno really, don't think about it much. It is what it is.

zzzzz · 13/04/2013 10:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

inappropriatelyemployed · 13/04/2013 10:56

Genetic predisposition definitely, as has been established now I think by research (I know you said not to mention research!). Also DS was IUGR and had to be induced early so I wonder if that was an environmental trigger.

DeadWomanWalking · 13/04/2013 11:04

Mostly genetics I think, like you it seems dd2 get the best of both our genes and dd1 got the worst. Although weirdly dd1 has a much better immune system than dd2. I also fell down the stairs when I was pregnant with dd1, I've always wondered if that factored in it too.

DeafLeopard · 13/04/2013 11:18

DH has some traits...but so do lots of people, so could be genetic.

I had HG in pregnancy so could be DS didn't get sufficient nutrients, but then I had it worse with DD and she is NT.

Prolonged second stage and forceps delivery - possible lack of oxygen or physical brain damage?

But.........as DS was walking / talking at 11 months and then lost speech and missed milestones right after the MMR, I can understand why, in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, people are still concerned about the vaccine.

yawningmonster · 13/04/2013 12:48

this question has plagued me to be honest....I torment myself with it....ds was a challenging pregnancy and had a very traumatic first few months this added to the
should I have eaten meat...vaccinated...breastfed longer....talked to him more....never given him gluten or dairy....you name it I have blamed myself for it and to some degree I still do this....I should be using/doing/saying/going to this that or the other and if I don't he won't reach his potential...the truth is I don't know and I probably never will. Now we know there is more evidence throughout the family but we didn't know that beforehand. My brain knows that it is most likely a combination of genetics and perhaps some environmental triggers through his early trauma but my heart says it was me.

I don't mean this post to offend anyone and as I say I know cognitively that my feelings are a bit wonky on this.

sickofsocalledexperts · 13/04/2013 12:51

Genetic

Original poster

2006hildy · 13/04/2013 14:29

this makes me feel better.

I have also tortured myself with all the things I could have done or did.

Things in the media such as horsemeat scandal (horse medicines altering chromosomes for example) remind me even if I did do things more carefully, things such as this, would have been out of my control.

so true what is done is done, can't change anything now even if he was damaged at birth and I do love ds dearly but often I do wonder hence my question.

Thank-you for helping me with my closure.

OP posts:

bee169 · 13/04/2013 15:02

Genetic.

The more I read the more I see myself and the difficulties I have had. When DS got diagnosed I was in shock- the word autism was something I knew about because of the MMR scandal. Now I know more about autism and the spectrum I can see that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

chocjunkie · 13/04/2013 15:18

I really wish I knew. there is nobody with even traits in either side of the family. easy pregnancy, straightforward birth at full term.

DD had asd from birth, no doubt, but I believe the mmr made things worse for her.

we are currently waiting for microarray results though I don't keep my hopes too high as I know chances are that nothing gets flagged up.

EllenJanesthickerknickers · 13/04/2013 15:24

Hereditary genetic. My ex h family all have autistic traits, he's a computer geek, poor communicator. My family are fairly NT, but my mum is a bit asocial, in a gentle, mild sort of way. She doesn't socialise outside the family much. And I have a physics degree.

signandsmile · 13/04/2013 15:39

Genetic for us too... dh missed an adult asd diagnosis by one point on one area of the triad.

HotheadPaisan · 13/04/2013 16:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CwtchesAndCuddles · 13/04/2013 16:12

Genetic
DH family have iffy genes! Dh would prob get a diagnosis is he wanted one (full on computer geke with lots of traits), and all of the children of dh cousins have a range of adhd / dyslexia / dyspraxia.

Ds is the most severe with ASD and severe learning difficulties but I'm sure that genetics played a huge part.

I'm was 40 having ds and do wonder if that may have also been a factor, along with HG in pregnancy.

Flip

1 2 3