All-boy families and ASD. Peachy, Jimjams?

[chipmonkey]

I have noticed, time and time again, mainly on MN that families who have children with ASD tend also to be all-boy families. Now, we all know that autism is more common in boys, along with dyslexia, dyspraxia and any other dys- you can think of! But, what I am wondering is: is the incidence of ASD higher in all-boy families than it is in families where, for example there is a boy with ASD who has one, two or three sisters and no brothers.
The reason I am asking is, that in my shallow quest for a daughter, I have come across the theory that a woman who has a diet high in calcium and magnesium is more likely to have a girl, a woman who has a diet high in salt and potassium is more likely to have a boy. I have to emphasise that I don't know how true this is, eating strawberries and cream certainly didn't get me a daughter! (But it was a nice diet! )
I have 4 sons, the eldest two have, respectively, ADD and dyspraxia, so are "on the spectrum" as such. The youngest two are apparently NT but not in school yet ( just turned 4 and 9 months) so perhaps we will have Dx's in the future?
What I am asking, I suppose, is whether my diet/genetics that predispose towards boys, also predispose towards ASD? And whether a change in diet on the mother's part would reduce the risk of ASD? Are there any studies on this?

I think this may be the article I read but I can't tell for sure because I don't subscribe to New Scientist.

I have 2 dd's with AS and ASD (i have no sons. When dd1 got her dx her paed was very shocked that i have 2 girls on the spectrum and said 'its rare to have two girls on the spectrum'. It would be interesting to know if we had a boy if he would be on the spectrum or weather its just females in our family .

I eat a lot of cheese and i drank a lot of milk when pg .

Actually Peachy, didn't you say as well that a longer ring finger means you are more likely to have ASD? I have a long ring finger and had a difficult social life as a child though I managed to combat that for the most part by the end of my teens. I have dyspraxic traits and have ADD beyond a shadow of a doubt.

They did say that was related to testosterone exposure in utero and probably ASD yes

I definitely ahve that LOL.

the high testosterone in utero - giving the finger ratio is produced by the fetus though, rather than the mother.

They're still doing that research in Cambridge. DS2 recently had to scan his hands and we had to fill in lots of assessment scales about him as part of a sibling study- I think he was looking for the broader autism phenotype (DS2 was far from autistic- probably came somewhere near highly NT). We don't really fit SBC's systemising stuff as a family though. Actually none of us really fit any of SBC's theories (including ds1!)

How very awkward of you, MrsT!

my dp has 2dd with asd one hf the other withmore severe issues ,.where his ds is ? there not sure if its just leaarnt issues from his older sisters.

but i hve 3 ds nd oe dd , one ds with dyslexic/dyspraxic ,youngest ds has GDD and definite asd traits ,we hve privte dignosis of ppd for him , also Sli,

so as family we totalty muddled the waters

We're an all-boy multiplex family.

Interestingly to be counted as a simplex family you have to have an affected child and an unaffected boy.

It's still going to be an oversimplification though as autism is so complex.

Very interesting thread. I'm still holding my breath as to whether DS2 19 months is on the spectrum or not (currently thinking not). I am fairly sure there are people on DP's side of the family who have ASD but I do wonder if the 5 days worth of iv antiobtics DS1 had from 2 days old may have tipped the balance for him, particularly as it turned out there was no infection.

If you're interested in the antibiotic stuff then Derrick MacFabe is really worth looking up. (& his videos). DS1 had a lot of antibs in his first 2 years (repeated ear infections. DS2 and ds3 had the ear infections but no antibs).

DS1's notes say he had lots and Paed kept referring to that but on our lives Dh and I cannot remember it and we are funny about giving meds unless important so that always seemed odd to us.

I did take lots of meds when expecting ds1 though (hyperemesis) so no doubt the crap balances.

Gosh I never realised how my children were so predisposed towards asd.
Years ago, i had blood tests that showed that my testerone levels were extremely high for a woman, and almost at the level of a man, I felt a bit of a freak at the time . I also am not even slightly 'feminine' what ever that means.
All my sons have antibiotics by iv in hospital after birth for 5 days or so, because I develop a temperature during childbirth. However I can't stand milk, hate the texture and never drink it in pregnancy. I do get cravings for cheese and other salty food though.
My ring finger is definately longer than my index finger, on both hands. But I am totally wierd anyway!

Oh, I have four sons, 3 with asd and a youngest one who appears to be on the spectrum, but not dxed

This is interesting as our ds with ASD had IV antibiotics after birth that turned out to be unneeded. Anyone else? Or anyone got any more info on this?
We have one affected boy, one unaffected and unaffected dd. Also no family history of ASD.

Can anyone give me a simple explanation of how you can get the gut back to being healthy, if there has been too many bacteria building up.

We have 5 boys; DS3 and DS5 have an AS diagnosis; DS1 and DS2 have no diagnosis but are certainly AS (they are in their twenties and have not been assessed).

So out of 5 boys, 4 have ASDs. And two have Coeliac Disease to add to the mix.

DH and I both have auto-immune disorders which have apparently been suspected as being linked to ASDs and we both have AS traits too.

DH has close relatives who are almost certainly AS but again never assessed.

Antibiotics? Both DS3 and DS5 had them after birth. DS2 had a lot in first couple of years because of loads of chest infections. Can't remember if DS1 had many!

So who knows-I suppose it is, as already said, a mixture of things which come together to cause it.

I have two boys - DS2 severely autistic, DS1 undiagnosed, but at the mild end of the spectrum. DS2 had IV antibiotics at 10 days old and then follow up oral ones after a life threatening staphylococcal infection. He also had large doses of steroids for eczema and asthma. DS1 has just had the occasional dose of ABs - but none when he was very little. I believe that both boys have a genetic susceptibility, but in DS2's case the severity of his autism was triggered by environmental factors. Despite Ds1's quirkiness I have no doubt he will lead an independent 'normal' life (though probably not that normal )

Lots of gut problems in both sides of the family and a nephew with Crohns.

mrsturnip, did you consciously avoid the AB's for ds2 and ds3 or did it just work out that way?
I had a CS wound infection after having ds1, I was on AB's and was bfing. Later that year he was put on that same AB himself but immediately vomited it back up. He did have lots of ABs for ear infections.

Completely avoided them chipmonkey. But the thinking has changed anyway- when ds3 was 18 months he had a seizure because he had 2 ear infections and burst ear drums. He was kept in for observation at the hospital and they carefully explained they would not be giving antibs. I think they must get fights from some parents, but I of course was saying "I don't want them!".

I had iv antibs at birth with ds3 so he must have got some through my milk. He has gut problesm, reacted to gluten like ds1 (headbanging), had IAG in urine and the lights went on when we switched him to goats milk. I think we came close with him. But he also hasn't had jabs, and he didn't get the viral infection that ds1 had pre-regression. But his gut was dodgy/a potential weak link.

Hiya,

Our family history:
9 grandchildren
no1) Female NT /Ulcerative colitis
no2) Female NT (chronic constipation)
no3) Female NT
no4) Female severe autism/hyperthyroidism
No5) Male NT
No6) Male High functioning autism
No7) Male severe autism
No8) Female NT/allergies and excema
No9) Male severe autism

No's 1,2 and 9 are my children. My boy was born at 42 weeks, ventouse/forceps delivery, suspected broken shoulder and was on painkillers at birth (Calpol - can you beleive it!) and I was on i.v antibiotics, and breastfed him)
x

OK, so we're defo the odd ones out here.
DD has PDD, but no obvious gut probs (occasional mild constipation), fairly healthy diet with no restrictions. Pretty much never ill, never had ear infection or antibiotics in her life. Had about two gastro infections, both mild and cleared up without antibs. Only serious illness has been chickenpox. Never regressed, just plateau'd developmentally at about 2.5.
DS is still little - only 19 mos, but fairly good indications that he's NT. Wouldn't rule out dyspraxia later as he's not walking yet, but social skills definitely way ahead of DD at same age.
So where does this leave us? DD had MMR but can't see that it had the least affect on her. DS hasn't had it yet because I'm still making my mind up .
About the only difference is that DD was emergency section and DS was VBAC. Was taking anti-emetic medication during DS pregnancy but nothing during pregnancy with DD.
All in all, I have NO IDEA what any of this means!!

I have 2 boys, no girls, both my boys have autism. Is the all boy thing really true? Isn't that odd.

DS1 had iv antibiotics at birth but not DS3, who is much more severely autistic than DS1 (DS1 very very hfa).

We're a funny case too.

Apparently there are lots of relatives on my dad's side with ASD (I do not know my dad's family at all)

I have 2 brothers. One would definitely be diagnosed as ASD if tested today, my eldest brother and I barely scrape through as NT.

My step daughter has AS, my step son is NT

Dh & I have 2 girls, dd1 has ASD, dd2 is probably NT but with quite a lot of traits (which, funnily enough are definitely traits not copied behaviour, as they are traits that dd1 does not have!)