How many of you have more than one child with ASD?

[lisad123wantsherquoteinDM]

As Im sure you know by now DD1 has an informal dx of ASD this year at the age of 6. (we are now pushing for formal but thats another battle and another thread).
I beat myself up about not spotting it earlier and getting her help before it got to this point. However DD2 is 2 years and 3 months now and shows some signs of ASD, and Im just not sure if/when to raise it with HV. She falls over reguarly but rarely cried about it, takes hand to show you what she wants, (never points) spins around but looks odd as she put her eyes in the corner in the direction she is going, hand flaps, licks carpet (dont ask!) lines things up, hates noises such as hoover, hairdryer, handdryrs ect, and doesnt much like cuddles or being picked up.
We tried pre school, it was a terible time and her behaviour was terrible with hitting and pushing others who came near her, hating changes in rooms and she doesnt play with anyone, only ever beside. She will play att he same activity for 45mins to an hour.

I guess what Im asking is, if I went to HV and explained all this would she look at me like i was crazy off my rocker mother who has a need to label my girls??

DS1- Dxof AS, hoping to get him a palce at a specialist comp in 2011

DS3- Autism, in a SNU placement, unlikely to ever achieve real independence

DS2- not asd but ahs some SEN, I would say dyspraxia,add or that new 'DAMP' hybrid from the little I know about it. Been waiting fro letter for referralfromschool since June, never appeared- realised why when they made all the non-statement allocated TA'sredundant at Christmas (SA+ would cause them to not ignore him...) so am taking into own hands next week. We'vealready been told by school in a very dismisive way he probably won'tever write properly which IMO necessitates some investifation.

DS4- ha yes, the conundrum. Almost 21 months,no speech delays, lots of problems with stimming (inc.our first head banager which is scary), big social issues (tantrummed whole time paents were here over Christmas, still won't acknowledge Cm after 4 months, screams on sight of my Mum (can tolerate my Dad)........ routine fixations...... repetitive play..... know the way this isgoing I think (still hoping mind),but Paed said hemust be going to be non ASD as he ahs good eye contact. Yes I know.......

Oh Isa

Its highly unlikely but hand twirling with asd flags in a girlcan warrant a blood test for Retts. really unlikely but might get you to Paed stage if youpoint that out to your HV?

People with 1 asd child are at increased risk of another, thats a known fact. The localpaeds suggest thats not the case if one is ASD (I have all the breakdowns somewhere I oculd pull out of how various degrees of family are potentially at risk), but I don't beleive that- seen it too much.

Lisa, sorry.

I have ds1 AS
Ds2 asd
ds3 autism
ds4 asd.

I have never gone to a health visitor for a referral, I just go to my exasperated gp.

As well as MY 2 asd kids, my 18yo bro is AS, my mum's brother has had an adult dx of AS...D'ya think we might have defective DNA??!! .

My youngest son and daughter have autism (moderate to severe),my eldest son has dyspraxia and my middle two (son and daughter) are mathematically gifted which according to paed puts them all on the same sort of spectrum.

In the widerfamily:

MIL has OCD, Dh ahs depressive illness (a clinicltype, not reactive, cyclical and characterised in part by obsessive issues)

Mum has dmitted she has AS; Grandad clearly has AS or ASD (we cannot know his earl;y development). I clearly have AS but don't feelcomfy about getting a dx as the specialist for adults here is a lecturer on my Uni course, she and a few others at Uni have indicated that they spotted it (I pretended to laugh it off rather than being committal to it, but my head was saying 'tellme something I don't know' LOL)

In dad'sfamily two aunts (twins) have ahd mental health issues, onesevere anorexia one I am not sure about but she spent my early years being reopeatedly sectioned (parents were her carers but SSD told them her or me so they took her to SSD and left her there). From what I know she was having a LT relationship with a female nurse for the alatter part of her life but don't know any more.

Grandad, Great Gramdma alcoholics and two Uncles died of cirrhosis also.... Dad was addicted for w hile but managed to beat itit (well done Dad, am v v proud).

Really I shouldn't have been allowed to breed , there's even evidence in history texts of my famile spying for the King in 1685, being rewarded with a farm and losing it to drink.

Cousin with obvious AS but his Mum (ironically,an ASD specialist TA) can'tsee it; posible cousin with it but Sis cannot see and I know school dont care (friend was his TA, told me herself before they resigned)

Most people in my dad's family seem to have/ have had elements, including my dad and one brother. My sister has Aspergers and J jas autism.

I didn't think there was any question now that genes play a huge part.

It is GMS

From my Uni powerpoint (given by Paed so accepted stuff):

Causes of Autism

Environmental factors

a. Prenatal
Maternal infections (Rubella)
Obstetric factors
Drug (anti-convulsants in pregnancy)

b. Postnatal
Infections (encephalitis)

1. Genetic factors

Genetics and Autism

Genetic factors play an important role in causation
of ASD.

Family and twin studies:
[Smalley et al 1988
Bailey et al 1995
Folstein and Rutter 1977
Stefanburg et al 1989]

Concordance rates for MZ twins significantly higher
than DZ twins.
Genetics and Autism

Autistic sibling/mild phenotype in other family members.

Mild phenotype

1. Male siblings more frequently affected
2. Not associated with epilepsy/learning difficulties
3. Mild ↓ verbal IQ

Not likely to be due to a single gene

Possibly due to interaction of small number of specific genes located on following chromosomes ? 2q, 7q, 4p and 19p
Individuals Requesting Genetic Counselling for Autism

Three groups:

Parents with an affected child.

Couples with an affected relative.

Individuals who have diagnosis of autism or Asperger?s syndrome.
Importance of Gene Search

Identify proteins and function

Identify factors affecting phenotypic expression

Improve diagnosis

Improve counselling

(One child with ASD risk second child → 5 to 6%)
Uncertainties

Risk of ASD in parents with ASD ? ranges from 5% (sibling risk) to 50% (auto dominant).

Recurrence risk in second and third degree relatives much lower than 1%.

No information on recurrence risk of AS in families with one individual with this condition.

?Slight increase risk for either of disorders with risk for autism lower than Asperger?s syndrome.
Genetic Disorder and ASD

5-10% autism have identifiable medical condition

Fragile X
Rett?s syndrome
Tuberous sclerosis
Neurofibromatosis
PKU
Other chromosomal disorder

Hope that makes sense C&P out of powerpoint

Leonie we were told for ds4 with 2 dx'd sibs as '20- 80%'

from which i deduce....

they ain't got a bloody clue

Hmm my elder brother I think has AS, is high achieving management accountant, so maths orientated and highly disciplined. His son has just been diagnosed with autism. My younger brother has a speech delay, could not speak clearly until aged around 6, he is now a heroin addict, and I think is most definately on the spectrum. I know that I am, have always found being 'social' a huge problem, never maintain any friendships, used to have a problem with alcohol/drugs at uni because I used it as a crutch. Have spend hours hiding in ladies loos rather than face people. Could never attend a mumsnet meet-up, too petrified, but would secretly love to, just think people would hate me and find me standoffish as usual. Oh, I was also anorexic in my teens, and was sectioned,and ws on anti-depressants for a while as a result.
My mother refused to attend school, and spent days hiding under her grandfathers bed and was a bit of an arsonist setting stables etc. on fire. My father is an alcoholic, and I cn now see has no reall friends to speak of.
OMG! Well at least my kids can now get some help, and thankfully, hopefully, they don't have to live the life that I had. I do worry though, that my depression will rub off on them, but don't see the point in trying to get a dx now, I think I am too far gone for help now..

Peachy, dd1 is a hand twirler and is nearly 7 so def not retts, DD2 is a hand flapper and is 2 now, but thanks for pointing that out, i never knew that

Have discussed with DH what to do with DD2 and he has agreed we need to get ball rolling. I have a BF who has a son with HFA, and she has picked up on certain things dd2 does, and quietly mentioned i might want to seek referal for her. My worry is if she has ASD she is going to be a tough one, as she is certainly more challenging that dd1 ever was, with hitting, not listening, throwing ect ect. Oh well best face it now, my girls are wonderful

We too are stoppping at 2 children, but moreso because of DH cancer treatment, we are at very high risk of a child with major disabilities, and i think with my 2 already I might just lose the plot (or has that happened already, I just cant find it!)

Ah Lisa I'm glad of that.

How is your Dh by the way?

hisdoing well, next apointment is feb so will know more then, in the meantime, chemo keeps going and we just try and carry on with life

Both of my boys have autism.

And definitely talk to your HV. Because we'd already been through it all my my eldest and there's a lot of it in my family, my HV referred DS2 as soon as I expressed concerns.