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The Mystery of Autism: 4 Potential Causes that May Surprise You

Rise in cases

The Mystery of Autism: 4 Potential Causes that May Surprise You Could you inadvertently be putting your child at risk of developing autism? According to an October 2009 study in the journal Pediatrics, 1 out of every 91 kids between the ages of 3 and 17 is now diagnosed with some form of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Such large numbers have pushed many researchers to delve into what may be causing this disorder to continuously increase year over year.

Although it is important to note that the causes of autism remain largely unknown, new studies are currently being conducted in hopes of finding some answers to this increase in autism cases, and pinpointing possible environmental factors that may be putting children at risk for this disorder.

As a parent, you want to do everything you can to protect your child. So what, exactly, are scientists looking at as possible links? Although genetics and vaccinations are two factors that have been widely debated, more research is being done on these and other possible causes in hopes of solving the mystery of what is causing autism in children.

Candida yeast and metal toxicityCandida Yeast
The debate over the role of intestinal yeast overgrowth in chronic illness has been going on for decades. Antibiotics that are often given to children for common illnesses, such as ear infections, have also been shown to kill beneficial bacteria in the intestine, thus allowing intestinal yeast to grow.

Although no definitive laboratory research exists to show intestinal yeast overgrowth may be linked to autism, the Environmental Illness Resource (EIR) cites several independent studies and circumstantial evidence that show autism spectrum disorders have risen in parallel with the increase in the use of antibiotics. Most of the autistic individuals who were studied had increased levels of tartaric acid, a substance produced primarily by yeast.

Heavy Metal Toxicity
Autistic children have been shown to have elevated levels of heavy metals, particularly thimerosal, in their bodies. Thimerosal is an inorganic mercury compound that has been used as a preservative in vaccines since the 1930s. According to the National Autism Association, infants are now exposed to three times more mercury than in previous decades due to the use of thimerosal in childhood vaccines. As this exposure has risen, so has the prevalence of autism.

It is important to note that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that there is no proven link between autism and vaccines, and urges parents to vaccinate their children, because the benefits far outweigh the risks. Still, in 2001, the CDC along with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended that thimerosal be removed from all vaccines given to children.

However, the EIR states that an examination of California's health records showed autism cases continued to rise between 1995-2007, even after thimerosal was removed from vaccines.

Children can also be exposed to mercury in other ways. Contaminated food and water supplies, especially fish, have been shown to have high levels of mercury due to oceanic pollution.

Chemical exposure and parental ageChemical Exposure
The EPA and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) are joint partners in the Children's Environmental Health Centers Initiative, a nationwide program that examines the effect that exposure to certain substances, such as pesticides, has on children's health

The EPA and NIEHS have jointly funded a five-year study by the University of California-Davis Center for Children's Environmental Health to expand a pilot program that is the first study to research possible causes of ASD during early gestation and infancy of at-risk children. The study will look at the level of chemicals present in autistic children compared to healthy children. The conclusion of this study is expected to provide valuable insight into the role chemical exposure may play in ASD.

Parental Age
According to the EIR, a major study published in a 2008 study that used data from the CDC found that parental age was linked to a child's risk of developing autism.

Also, a study published in 2008 by the American Journal of Epidemiology found that mothers aged 35 or older have a 30% greater chance of having a child with autism than mothers aged 25-29, and fathers over the age of 40 have a 40% higher chance than fathers aged 25-29.