Influence of Nature and Nurture in the Diagnosis of Autism

There are numerous factors that lead to the diagnosis of autism. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) involves difficulty in normative functioning when it comes to social skills and communication. It occurs gradually with numerous symptoms occuring, like learning difficulties, cognitive deficits and sometimes physical limitations. Autism is either caused by nature or nurture; or a combination of both.

These two factors play an important role in the early development of the brain even before the child is born. Nature is when genetics play a vital role in the development of autism in children. Whereas, nurture refers to the development in the brain that is affected by environmental factors.

Nature or Nurture?

It is believed that autism in children is caused by a combination of both nature and nurture- one’s genes and their environment- as they act together to affect the child’s brain growth. In comparison to the genetic studies of autism, the environmental risk factors studies have major challenges and are in their infancy. Individuals are exposed to thousands of environmental factors that keep on changing constantly. Epidemiologists are aware that some children go through certain environments in the early stages of their life which may affect ASD in children, while some symptoms may not occur due to the changing environments.

A research conducted in Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm found that gentic and environmental factors both are equally responsible for presenting a diagnosis of autism. The researchers examined the probability of autism recurrence in families. A sample size of over two million people in Sweden was taken between 1982 and 2006. The researchers identified the number of autism cases and looked upon the number of familial relationships. The group consisted of more than 2.6 million full-sibling pairs, approximately a million half-siblings who either shared a mother or a father, around 5.7 million cousin pairs and more than 375,500 twin cases.

This indicates that the risk of having ASD increases in an individual who has a family member affected by it. Studies suggest that the autism risk increases:

  • tenfold for siblings of an autistic person
  • eightfold for a fraternal twin of a person with autism but 153-fold for an identical twin
  • threefold for half-siblings of an autistic person

Hence, the researchers were of the view that genetics passed down from the parents account for 50% of ASD risk, and environmental factors (like the mother having flu during pregnancy) account for the other 50% of ASD risk.

The factors linked with autism must be identified through more expansive data in order to analyze the environmental risk and the protective factors. In a recent study, big data was used to study the effects of different levels of medication taken during pregnancy. Some researchers have suggested that the use of certain medications prescribed during pregnancy leads to a higher risk of autism in the child, for instance.

Conversely, another study refuted this finding. This study consisted of a sample size of 179,007 children with an average age of 8 years old. The medications taken by their mothers before and during the pregnancy were carefully analyzed and concluded that such medications do not lead to a higher risk of autism.  This shows that big data allows precise measurements that improve the reliability of the research.

Autism Treatment in Dubai

Autism treatment in Dubai has advanced with new researches being conducted. The awareness for autism has increased across UAE which has led to an improved infrastructure for autism treatment. Inclusion centers have been introduced in Dubai to support and accommodate autistic children, which aid the child’s development and improves social communication.

The diagnosis of autism has always been difficult as no particular test has yet been introduced for it; rather, the child’s behavior is analyzed to diagnose it. Small Steps Big Dreams in Dubai, UAE aims to treat autistic children through therapies and activities that will help in their growth. An institute like this relieves the tension of parents of autistic children regarding the delays in development and the speech problems that their child may go through. The diagnosis of autism has always been difficult as no particular test has yet been introduced for it; rather the child’s behavior is analyzed to diagnose it.

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