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

New studies are currently being conducted in hopes of finding some answers to the increase in autism cases, and pinpointing possible environmental factors that may be putting children at risk for this disorder.
By: Lindsay Hutton

In this article, you will find:

Rise in cases
Candida yeast and metal toxicity
Chemical exposure and parental age

Chemical exposure and parental age

Chemical 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.

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