Autism scare worries infertility-hit moms

Dec.5: Over 21 per cent of children born to mothers who go in for assisted conception run the risk of developing autism, says a recent study conducted by a team of doctors led by Dr Ananth N. Rao of the Metabolism Research Laboratory, Apollo Hospital.
“Assisted reproduction may lead to imprinting defects causing genetic aberrations of which autism could be one,” Dr Rao explains. The study could have disturbing implications as at least 60 per cent of women suffering from infertility go in for assisted conception including invitro fertilization and intra cytoplasmic sperm injection today with infertility having increased two to three times in urban areas over the last five years, due to increased stress, pollution and changes in lifestyle leading to late marriages and late conception, going by noted city gynaecologist, Dr Padmini Prasad.
Unfortunately, autism, which is a neurobehavioural disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, particularly in the areas of social interaction and communication, cannot be diagnosed prenatally.
That the condition is growing among children is apparent from the fact that while round five years ago less than 10 per cent were diagnosed with it, today around 24 per cent of children between the ages of two and eight are autistic.
In Bengaluru one in 252 children is diagnosed with autism, according to survey conducted by Action for Autism in India. The problem which becomes apparent between two and three years of age, is often interpreted as delayed development. Children with autism laugh inappropriately, are not able to sense danger, may not want to be cuddled or hugged, have poor eye contact, prefer to be alone and show resistance to change, difficulty in expressing needs, have repetitive speech, delayed speech and display hyperactiveness. “Autism is also associated with food allergies,” Dr Rao reveals.