In about 1 in 10 children who have autism, there is a clear medical condition that caused it. Many of these conditions run in families.

Here are some of the medical conditions that can lead to autism in a small number of children.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Lamb JA, Parr JR, Bailey AJ, et al.
Autism: in search of susceptibility genes.
Neuromolecular Medicine. 2002; 2: 11-28.

 

 

 

 

 

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Source:
Medical Research Council.
MRC review of autism research: epidemiology and causes.
December 2001. Available at http://www.mrc.ac.uk (accessed on 21 April 2009).

 

 

 

 

 

²

This is an

 

 

 

 

 

infection
You get an infection when viruses, bacteria, fungi or other tiny organisms get into your body. These bugs are so tiny that you can't see them without a microscope. For example, an infection in your airways causes the common cold. And an infection in your skin can cause rashes such as athlete's foot.

 

 

 

 

 

infection. If a pregnant woman catches it, her baby's brain may get damaged. This can lead to autism.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
National Institutes of Health.
Aren't the diseases prevented by the MMR vaccine mild, when compared to the life-long symptoms of autism?
February 2009. Available at: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/autism/mmr/sub5.cfm (accessed on 21 April 2009).

 

 

 

 

 

³ But this isn't common nowadays. That's because now, most people get a vaccine that protects against rubella.

This condition runs in some families. It causes hard patches in your brain. It can also cause learning problems and epilepsy. People with epilepsy get

 

 

 

 

 

seizure
A seizure is a sudden spasm of muscles caused by too much electrical activity in the brain. It results in muscle twitching and other symptoms.

 

 

 

 

 

seizures.

This condition is called PKU for short. Babies born with it can't break down a substance called phenylalanine. This substance is found in many foods that have lots of

 

 

 

 

 

proteins
A lot of your body's tissues are made out of proteins. Proteins can be made in your cells. Proteins are also part of the food you eat, particularly meat and dairy products. Your body breaks down the protein you eat into amino acids. Your cells then use these amino acids to build new proteins, which make up muscles, joints, hair and other parts of your body.

 

 

 

 

 

protein, such as meat, fish and eggs. So phenylalanine builds up in your body. This can cause brain damage.

All babies are tested for PKU about three days after they are born. If they have it, they can eat foods that don't have much protein. That stops the symptoms coming on.

Chromosomes carry the information that you got from your parents. You get half of your chromosomes from your mother and half from your father. They control how your body grows and develops. If you have too many or too few chromosomes, or they are damaged, you can get health problems. Parts of your body, such as your brain, may not develop as they should.

Here are some of the chromosome problems that can cause autism.

Certain other problems in pregnancy or at birth have been linked to autism. For example, rarely autism has been linked to an infection called cytomegalovirus being passed from a mother to her baby.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Medical Research Council.
MRC review of autism research: epidemiology and causes.
December 2001. Available at http://www.mrc.ac.uk (accessed on 21 April 2009).

 

 

 

 

 

²

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