Autism linked to Parents Mental illness

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-05-2004
Autism linked to Parents Mental illness
19
Mon, 05-05-2008 - 3:40pm
What do you all think about the article released today linking autism to children born to a parent with schizophrenia or certain other mental illnesses?

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Avatar for chowderheadmom
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2003
Tue, 05-06-2008 - 10:19am
I've not read the article, but I do believe there is a genetic factor to autism spectrum disorders.


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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-28-2008
Tue, 05-06-2008 - 12:23pm

Well, correlation does not prove causation. Back in the 40's you could correlate polio incidence and ice cream sales - both increased during the summer. but we all know that polio is not caused by ice cream! Statistics, especially biostatistics, is a tricky thing to decipher.

I've been on medications thru all three of my PG's, same ones, which according to my psychiatrist are the only two meds that positively show no signs of causing any developmental problems. Out of those three PG's, one has AS, one has a language disorder and some oppositional problems, and the last has speech and developmental delay. So did my meds cause my kids problems? I tend to doubt it. With the astronomical increase in ASD dx I think that there is something environmental that is largely to blame. As well as some genetic predisposition.

So, while I'm not surprised by the studies results, I'm not too concerned either. We strongly suspect a genetic role in ASD's anyway. Neurological dysfunctions of other types probably have one as well.

Just my 10 cents on it, LOL

Andrea, mom to

Graham
Miles
Anson

Andrea, mom to

Graham
Miles
Anson
Avatar for chowderheadmom
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2003
Tue, 05-06-2008 - 12:28pm

I'm a bit confused. I didn't mention correlation at all. I said that I believed there is a strong genetically-related factor to ASD's.

Did you mean to post this to everyone and not just me?



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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-28-2008
Tue, 05-06-2008 - 5:22pm
Sorry - it was just a general post. I don't know how to post all, so like alot of others here, I just tag it on the end of the thread. No offense intended.

Andrea, mom to

Graham
Miles
Anson

Andrea, mom to

Graham
Miles
Anson
Avatar for chowderheadmom
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2003
Tue, 05-06-2008 - 5:32pm
None taken at all. I was just confused (which isn't hard to do to me these days. LOL!)


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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Wed, 05-07-2008 - 1:20am


Needless to say, OSM would not let something like this go by unchallenged...

http://onesickmother.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/05/link-found-betw.html

-Paula


visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 05-07-2008 - 6:28am
I read this board occasionally, although I do not have a child with PDD or autism. My father and uncle most likely have some form of autism/Asperger's and my brother has schizophrenia. As a result I have read about both conditions for years and I started wondering long ago if there were not some sort of genetic link between the two. Many of the symptoms are quite similar and until quite recently autism was classified as childhood schizophrenia. In fact, the principal at my uncle's school refused to promote him to HS because she thought he had "schizophrenia" (the family ignored it, since he appeared fine to them). The other reason is that we have no history of schizophrenia anywhere in the family (and we have unusually good records), but there is clearly a strong streak of autism/autism-related behaviors up and down my father's family tree, on both his mother's and his father's side.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Sat, 05-10-2008 - 9:11am

finished the series BTW.

http://onesickmother.typepad.com/my_weblog/

-Paula


visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 05-10-2008 - 9:41am

Well, I too don't doubt the genetic factor in autism. Many of the posts I read here are about different possible genetic links within families. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc with some symptoms or oddities that may be related to autism. I don't think anyone questions that.

However, the article here I believe if I am not mistaken, talks about the direct link between parents mental health (particularly the mother) and autism. That I just don't see. I do know a fair bit of mom's of children with autism who suffer depression after the diagnosis. There maybe some who also had some depression and such before but depression is so common and autism is so common that of course the 2 would co-occur. Love the ice-cream/polio analogy for who ever came up with that!

I don't think I have known many, if any, moms who are schizophenic though and I have known lots and lots of autism moms. It is possible there are some that just don't share that information with me. It is also possible that some mom's have some autistic type traits that could be similar or diagnosed as schizophenia as well but I just don't think it is as rampant as perhaps the article tends to allude.

Also, schizophrenia and autism are actually very similar in many ways and schizophrenia started being diagnosed earlier.

Just my thoughts on that.

As for my family, the only thing on my side is an aunt who was delayed (called mild MR then) that we now think was autistic. She lived in supported living her whole life. I have a brother who is just odd adn had some learning disabilities. My MIL has loads of anxieties and quirks and is one odd duck. But really DH and I did not have any mental health issues prior to the kids. DH a couple years ago (way past birth and diagnosis) did take some meds for depression for a short time but that is it between the 2 of us.

Renee

Disney08

APOV on Autism
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