Older Fathers More Likely to Have Autistic Children
Yeah, so women are ticking, degenerating biological clocks, blah blah blah chromosomal-abnormalities-cakes … we’ve heard it so many times, we get it. A recent study, however, found that that the odds of autism spectrum disorder developing in children of men aged 40 and older were nearly six times those of men 29 years and younger. Neener.
From the American Medical Association, “Children of men age 40 and older have a significantly increased risk of having autism spectrum disorders compared with those whose fathers are younger than 30 years, according to an article in the September issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.”
Autism is characterized by social and language abnormalities and repetitive patterns of behavior, according to background information in the article. Autism and related conditions, known collectively as autism spectrum disorders, have become increasingly common, affecting 50 in every 10,000 children as compared with five in 10,000 two decades ago. This increase is partially due to higher levels of awareness and changes in diagnosis processes, but could also reflect an increase in incidence of autism, according to the authors. Older parental age has previously been linked to abnormalities in the brain development of children; however, few studies have effectively examined the effect of mothers’ and especially fathers’ ages on autism. …
The authors discuss several possible genetic mechanisms for the paternal age effect, including spontaneous mutations in sperm-producing cells or alterations in genetic “imprinting,” which affects gene expression. “It is important to keep in mind, however, that age at paternity is influenced by the sociocultural environment and varies across societies and over time,” they continue. “In a given population, a change in the sociocultural environment could produce a change in paternal age at birth. In theory, it could thereby lead to a change in the incidence of genetic causes of autism.”
I guess the hub better get cracking if he wants kids who won’t have preternatural mathematical and recall skills that will help reap us a small fortune through gambling. Oh wait.
Melissa said,
September 5, 2006 at 11:21 pm
There are also links between dads over 40 and schizophrenia. Amazing how every 6 mos. or so Newsweek or Time or somebody has a cover story about women having babies or TRY-ing to have babies later in life (like, in their 30s) and all the heartache and the problems and the fertility drugs, etc. etc. .. and there’s usually about 2 paragraphs about men, like they’re not involved in reproduction at all. And I love when they have stories about working women and daycare and stay at home moms and raising kids and on and on, and they, like, never mention the fathers/husbands. Since they have so little do with the “choices” women make about motherhood and careers, right.
Did I get a little off topic there? Sorry - needed to vent.
marie aka the FertilityBitch said,
September 6, 2006 at 2:36 pm
Hi WW~!
Actually, we HAVE an autistic child and I think this is some kooky extension of the “refrigerator mother” theory (as all these theories go, first, always blame the mother) that the mothers actually CAUSED the autism. Now they’re saying it’s our genes (still your fault, you and your lousy genes), and now it’s your aging sperm/DNA, etc. No one wants to look into the ENVIRONMENTAL factors (hmmm?) that might be causing this disorder that is 1 in 155 births–uh, we’re talking epidemic proportions. Ain’t got no epidemic of older dads (ditto how this invalidates the genetic theory), I don’t think! Tell hubs not to get too bent out of shape :)
xo,
The Fertility Bitch…I second the thanks for the chance to rant!
jill danyelle said,
September 7, 2006 at 10:41 pm
Today I had to tell some parents that I think their daughter, my client, has the signs and symptoms of autism. Never an easy thing, but even worse when their pediatrician keeps telling them to “wait and see” and did not even recognize the signs!! Shocking really.
This news I think has little to do with the overall chances of having a child with autism, as there is likely no one cause but a series of factors. I wouldn’t think twice about getting pregnant with a man over 40.