A recent study has shown that autism appears to have strong links with birth injury.
Autism is a type of brain disorder that develops in early childhood. Many families in New York deal with the stresses involved with raising autistic children. The organization, Autism Speaks, states that it is usually between the ages of 2 and 3 that the symptoms of autism first show themselves. The disorder is typically manifested in the form of difficulties with nonverbal communication, repetitive behaviors, and issues with social interaction. The link of early brain development to autism indicates that the disorder may have a causal relationship with birth injury, according to recent research.
Studying autism and birth factors
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, a new study has revealed existing correlations between certain factors at birth and autism risk. By searching through over 40 other studies that had been done through March of 2007 that examined the association of childbirth and autism, researchers were able to perform a meta-analysis to determine commonalities.
It was found that there are several factors in childbirth that have an association with autism risk. Umbilical cord complications, birth trauma or injury, and fetal distress were some of the factors revealed. The researchers were also able to conclude that the risk of autism is increased by general compromises to the health of the newborn child, including injury at birth.
How birth injury can affect the development of autism
The LA Times states it was revealed in the same study that if a child does have a genetic predisposition for autism, the risk can be amplified by a difficult birth. The article goes on to explore how the lack of oxygen to the brain during childbirth seems to be a major factor in the development of autism.
Children with autism have unusual activity in cells reliant on the neurotransmitter dopamine. Birth injuries that result in the deprivation of oxygen to the brain have been observed to cause these cells to have a surge of increased activity, a phenomenon which seems to relate to abnormal dopamine development. Another conditions that researchers found as a risk factor was umbilical cord entanglement.
The cost of autism
Parents in New York who raise a child with autism may find themselves having to cope with unexpected expenses such as obtaining medical diagnoses, undergoing therapy, and special schooling. If parents have an autistic child that was injured during birth, they may want to get advice from an attorney experienced in these types of cases.
