Several environmental, biological and genetic aspects are known to contribute to autism spectrum disorder, a developmental disability attributable to differences within the brain. There was no single known cause that might determine autism. Nonetheless, a latest study has found that common ear, nose and throat (ENT) problems and upper respiratory infections in young children may indicate the following risk of autism.
Autism begins before the age of three and the symptoms can last throughout an individual’s life, although sometimes it might improve over time
Common signs of autism
Children diagnosed with autism may lack social communication and interaction skills and have issues like:
- Avoiding eye contact
- Failing to reply to name by nine months of age
- Not sharing interests with others by 15 months
- Not responding to smile
- Difficulties sharing an imaginative play
Additionally they may show restricted or repetitive behaviors like:
- Lining up toys or objects
- Repeating words or phrases
- Flapping hands or rocking body
- Shows obsessive interests and must follow a certain routine
Additionally they show other signs like:
- Delayed language skills, movement skills or learning skills,
- Hyperactive, impulsive or inattentive behavior
- Epilepsy or seizure disorder
- Unusual eating and sleeping habits
- Gastrointestinal issues comparable to constipation
- Anxiety, stress or excessive worry
- Lack of fear
Earlier research has shown that ENT conditions, comparable to ear infections, “glue ear,” and sleep-disordered respiration could have a job in the event of autism. Nonetheless, since a lot of the evidence was based on health records, there have been probabilities that the findings were biased.
The brand new study analyzed data from greater than 10,000 children, who were participants in a long-term study called the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.
The researchers asked the moms of the participants to fill in three questionnaires when their children were aged 18, 30 and 42 months. The questionnaires recorded the frequency of nine different symptoms referring to the ear, nose, throat, which included respiration through the mouth, snoring, ear pulling or poking, reddened and sore ears, worse hearing during a chilly, rarely listening, and sticky discharge from the ears.
The identical group was given a separate set of three questionnaires when their children were just over 3, nearly 6, and 9 years old. They recorded issues with speech coherence, social and communication issues and repetitive and abnormal behaviors and sociability, that are characteristic symptoms of autism.
Out of the participants, 177 children – 139 boys and 38 girls – were diagnosed with autism.
Researchers found that children with ENT symptoms showed high scores on each of the 4 autism traits that they evaluated.
The study doesn’t mean all children who’ve ear infections will eventually be diagnosed with autism. It also doesn’t indicate all individuals with autism had upper respiratory infections as a baby.
“Most youngsters with signs of ear infection should not autistic so it will not help to screen those with infections,” study creator Dr. Amanda Hall said. “Nonetheless, it might be helpful to make sure children with autism are often checked for common ear, nose, and throat conditions.”
Within the evaluated group, around 1,700 children snored at 30 months, and 1,660 of them weren’t diagnosed with autism later.
Although the study couldn’t conclude if the ENT conditions have a causal role in the event of autistic traits, it adds to evidence that early ear and upper respiratory symptoms are more common in children who’re later diagnosed with autism. Researchers imagine this might be attributable to minor physical anomalies present in individuals with autism.
“One possibility, for instance, might be the consequence of the increased prevalence of minor physical anomalies in individuals with autism, including anatomical differences within the structure and/or positioning of the ear, with such differences in ear morphology increasing the danger of ENT conditions,” the researchers wrote.
A latest study has found that common ear, nose, and throat (ENT) problems and upper respiratory infections in young children may indicate the following risk of autism.
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