Is Autism More Prevalent in Boys?

E.-
The diagnosis of Autism is more prevalent in boys. However there has been recent studies that suggest that girls are simply misdiagnosed more often because of the complete lack of information the medical professionals have as to how girls who have it act toward others.

However, there is something that you need to realize. Worrying about a potential problem before you have any reason to is going to drive you nuts. STOP IT! You cannot live your life scared of what might be, becoming a hypochondriac will only ruin your pregnancy and the bond it creates between you and your baby.

H. Stanley

1 mom found this helpful

Yes autism is more prevalent in boys. The stats are currently 1 in 150 children (boys and girls) and 1 in 90 boys. I think the media has done a huge disservice to make people scared to death of autism. There are lots of things to fear and worry about when you are about to become a new mom. They do not know what causes autism. Sure there are a lot of theories or ideas about causes but no one can say for sure yet. The key thing about autism is to be aware of the early signs and then once you see the signs get early intervention. My son was 20 months when he started his therapy and we got an official diagnosis around his 2nd birthday. He is 3 now and we see a bright and happy future for him.

I too was and still am very worried about this with my daughter as we are older parents adn that increases our risk. So far, so good as our daughter is highly connected to people at this stage in her life and the pediatrician thinks that we are okay....

However, my husband works at CHLA and I'm also in healthcare and what we know is that gene therapy and research is showing that autism may take root on the X chromosome so girls can balance out the equation by having an X and a Y chromosome. My advice is to concentrate on what you can control and enjoy the moment - each day is a blessing with our three month old and if you worry too much, you miss the joys....

Hello E.
There is no need to worry. Yes it is true that autism is prevalent in boys and nobody really knows why (if it helps: I have 3 boys and I'm currently pregnant with boy number number 4 and non of them have autism). I was also told by my pediatrician that a family history of autism can play a role. Also i wouldn't worry about vaccines. I know there's people out there who blame vaccines for autism but nobody can really connect autism to vaccines. Have a talk with your pediatrician about that and ask a lot of questions if that is a concern to you.
Enjoy your pregnancy (i do!) and don't worry about that.
M.

congrats on your baby girl. One theory is that the estrogen is a natual blocker to mercury, testosterone is not. Autism is connected to environmental toxins and yes, to immunizations. Waiting to allow your child to develop an immune system before immunizations would greatly improve her chances of NOT developing autism. There are many resources out there to learn about how to help your child not be one of the statistics (1 out of 150). Please avail yourself to the information found on the internet. Look up Generation Rescue. There you will find information that will help you make educated safe decisions. Click on Read Published Science and Vaccination information.
No I am not a doctor, just a mom of a 10 year old boy with autism, I have a PHd in Matthew

According to my brother in law who is a child psychologist, girls tend to fall more in the middle of the road in terms of intellegence. On the other hand there tend to be more boys that are geniuses, but also more boys that have learning disabilities and autism. That might explain it.

In the meatime don't eat fish. We're all told to avoid swordfish etc, but avoid tuna too. There's a lot of mercury in fish these days and mercury tends to be related to autism, though supposedly no one knows what causes it.

H.

hi I HAVE A SON WITH AUTISM. MOSTLY BOYS HAVE AUTISM. THERE IS NOTHING TO BE SCARED OF. DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER CHILD WITH AUTISM? I WAS SCARED TO HAVE ANOTHER CHILD AFTER HAVING MY SON, BUT I DID AND IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER. MY DAUGHTER BRINGS HIME OUT. SHE IS 2YRS AND HE IS 6YRS. I LOVE YOUR QUESTION BUT I HAVE RESEARCHED BUT COULDNT FIND THE ANSWER. MY DAUGHTER DOESNT HAVE ANY OF THE SIGHN OF AUTISM. PLEASE CONACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS.

I am a grandmother to a 16 yr. old girl who has high functioning Autism. She is doing extremely well in school, and while she will always require someone to look after her best interests, there are many aspects to her life that she'll be able to manage independently. I can understand your anxiety, but there is nothing you can do to prevent autism during your pregnancy. It is also true that there is greater incidence of autism in boys, and noone really knows why that is true. Lots of research being done now, and of course the "Autism Society" has lots of valuable information for those seeking help and support. I can tell you that having our granddaughter in our lives is a constant source of delight and amazement. Her Dad is doing a fantastic job of raising her. No matter what you are confronted with, there is always hope and help.

I was told the reason we have MORE Autism, is because Doctors are Now Diagnosing more and more, even the slightest, minor so-called DIFFERENCE in a child and their attching labels to them.
There has been so much on the Interent you have to be carefull decifering the fact from fiction...
The whole to "VACCINATE or Not" debate is raging like wild fire...We havnt vaccinated little Tyler. We are still sitting on the fence with that one...Your best bet, is to do what you can while your pregnant, that is eat healthy, stay away from pesticides and chemicals, dont smoke and drink, stay off Medications, and get as much Natural Nutrients into your body so they can be passed along to the developing baby.
Read, read, but keep an OPEN MIND.
Dont OVER STRESS as this has been proven to affect an unborn child.
Check out my website www.xooma.ca This is what I used before and during my pregnancy , and We incorporate it into Tylers Formula as well...

I have a son with autism. Yes, it is far more common in boys. Nothing you do during your pregnancy will affect your chances of having a child with it.

Hi there! I am a Pediatric ER RN for many years and was a school Nurse prior. We must keep up continuing education credits and I am finishing up on Autism Spectrum Disorders. This may answer some of your many questions. You can review this article at www.NetCE.com. Once there click on "courses" and type in Autism Spectrum Disorders and search. A list of things will come up. Just click on the aboved named article and then scroll down to the breakdown of the parts of the article. Click on each and it will pop up for you to read. Hope this helps ease your concerns.

E.,
Autism is reported in boys more often because the behaviors they exhibit are easier to pick up on. Autism in girls looks differently, especially in the milder range, and we are just beginning to gain a better understanding of the needs of girls with autism. Autism can often be found to run in families. I think it's natural to worry about your baby and it doesn't stop, ever. Just remember that a baby is truly a blessing in every possible way.

Autism has been around for a long time. Some of our most outstanding inventors, computer programmers, scientists, engineers, etc., etc. have been on the Autistic Spectrum. Being different is not always a bad thing because our society wouldn't be the same w/o these people. Could you imagine life w/o Microsoft? Good luck!

E.,
In my circle of friends I their are 2 boys and 1 girl with autism. I don't think there is and rhyme or reason, it just happens! I also know 2 families with girls with Down Syndrome. Both had the AFP test that came back normal and did not know their babies had Downs until birth. Just hope for a healthy baby no matter what. There is no reason to worry that much because there is nothing that can be done but to love your child just the way they are.

E.,
You need to enjoy your pregnancy and not worry about what could or could not happen. What if this is the last baby you will ever be able to carry? Enjoy the life you have and be happy. You will have a beautiful baby.
N.

Dwell on how beautiful your baby girl will be. Don't think of what might go wrong. I believe our children sense these things. It is what it is and you will deal with whatever the outcome when it is time. Now, enjoy the miracle of life and relax. She is going to be an amazingly beautiful child. Spend time with friends. Don't fret. All will be well. Hugs.

recent research suggests that autism is partially genetic with an environmental trigger. and they think that the main gene responsible is on the y chromosome (male). don't be terrified of autism, just try to keep track of her developmental milestones and if she's meeting them she's most likely goin to be ok.

It is more prevalent in boys, I want to say more common by 75% but that could be wrong.

No one knows why, they think estrogen may protect girls from it.

There appear to be more boys with learning disabilities as well. The good news about autism is that children can recover and be indistinguishable from their peers by kindergarten if they receive early, intensive, quality intervention. Autism can be diagnosed as early as 14 months and very reliably by 18 months. There is a simple diagnostic test called "The CHAT" which you can google with autism and pull up. It's 8 questions for parents and pediatricians to fill out and is a very good indicator of developmental delays indicating autism. If you'd like to learn more visit autism.com and lafeat.org. I'm an autism recovery attorney and you can reach me at ____@____.com or ###-###-####. Cheers, H. Boyd

Hi E.

I have a 3 and 1/2 year old who although has some autistic traits is NOT autistic. To worry and stress the what if is only going to make things worse and get you stressed out even more. While pregnant just do the healthy things, ie no drinking etc...There are alot of "myths" about autisim, what "causes" it. but a myth is just that...a myth. All kids are different (same as adults) we all that different likes, dislikes etc...when your daughter is born except her for who SHE is not what your stressing out about. NOT every child is autistic. Is it more prevalent in boys...thats a myth..if this is really bothering you talk to your obgyn or google autisim. there are some great sites out there that will give you the facts. In the mean time...just enjoy the pregnancy..

D.

Hello, I research and write children's books on autism. First of all, no sense worrying about your future bundle of joy...enjoy your pregnancy and the birth of your daughter. ENJOY IT!

However, to answer your numbers question and for the sake of the Mamasource blog...Just for information sake, autism is now diagnosed in the US by CDC at 1 out of 150 children, but that includes an entire spectrum ranging from very intelligent, yet socially quirky kids, all the way to more severe autism. Statistics are 80% boys, however, girls are underdiagnosed, because autism can be harder to detect in girls.The differences between boys and girls sometimes enables girls to disguise some of their autistic behavior which makes it harder for parents to get diagnosis. There was a recent program on ABC News with the Sakai family about this http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Story?id=4177353&page=1 - Here is the site. Diagnosis is important for parents to get the appropriate services for their children.

That said, again, you are pregnant. Enjoy your pregnancy and welcome your new bundle of joy! No need to worry about something. Worry won't help anything and your child needs a stressfree mommy! Best wishes on your delivery!!

J. Keating-Velasco
www.AisForAutism.net
A Is for Autism, F Is for Friend - A Kid's Book on Making Friends with a Child Who Has Autism

Everyone is afraid of something when they are pregnant, most of us have a huge list of things we are terrified of. The only thing I can say is that the Lord will give you what he gives you and there is not a whole lot we can do to prevent autism at this time. I myself worry about autism as I have a BIL and a niece both with varying degrees of it. Scary yes but we have three beautiful children and no signs yet. Like you said it is more common in boys BUT it does happen in girls too. Heck, I'd love to know why a lot of things happen the way they do. lol. Good luck to you and try to not let the "what if's" drive you crazy.

Hi there. I totally understand your fear..Neither of my sons have autism, but with my 14 month-old I won't be totally at ease until her turns 3 with no signs of autism..

I agree with how Tera responded..There are ways to protect your child by doing things to reduce harmful exposure to toxins and environmental pollutants and look into whether of not you should vaccinate.. With my first born I didn't question whether or not his should be vaccinated, but now I've chose not to vaccinate either of my kids. There's no conclusive research that proves that vaccines cause ASD, but on the flip-side it's not absolute research that there is not a correlation. I have an IQ Air filter in the house, an air filter in the car, use non-toxic household products -even laudry detergent, dishwashing soap, to the kids bath & body products. I try to buy toys made in Europe, which are phlate-free..Purchase a NaturePedic crib matress(org.) and looking to purchase a NP twin matress for the my 3 year-old.I buy organic foods/drinks and I'm still breast feeding my 14 month-old...

From what I've researched autism and boys are definitely more prevalent to ASD. The stats in America: 1 in 94 boys and 1 in 150 children are prevalent to this ASD.

Sorry trying to type as quickly as possible..hope this info is helpful and it all makes sense.
Here are some great websites with lots of info re: relevant topics: www.autism-america.org, www.ewg.org, www.mothering.com

Remember knowledge is power..Congrats and many blessings!

Probably has to do with us girls having two X chromosomes and poor boys having only one. We live longer too. More boys are born and conceived than girls but by adulthood we even out the numbers. I believe the recent increase in autism is better diagnostic programs. Early intervention and treatment can work miracles. Very few require the old style full time custodial care of last century. There may be a genetic component in some families. It may be a prenatal thing like exposure to something or lack of something. Nobody knows. Don't stress out about it unless you have several relatives with autism. There is no prenatal screening for it. Autistic brains are different and can sometimes be identified with a brain scan. Why are you so scared? What aren't you telling us?

Not necessarily. I new a family who had 4 kids 3 girls and 1 boy. All 3 of their girls were autistic. I know that the media keeps tring to steer people away from vaccines being the cause of autism, but they are also being paid out by the AMA. Please read The Sanctity of Human Blood by Tim O'Shea. It helped me make my decision.

Yes, it is more prevalent in boys. Unless you have a family that has a lot of autism, I wouldn't worry about it. I had it tucked away in my mind as I was preg. but didn't dwell on it. It turns out my daughter shows signs of autism, but my husband has two first cousins from different uncles that have daughters with it. I have read that they believe there is a link in certain families and traits from families that may make it more prevalent in certain families. For us it happend, and I wasn't worried, and was young when I had my daughter, but seriously you get what you get, and you will probably have a kid that is unaffected. If you do have a child with autism, you can work with them, they just require a lot of patience. Don't worry about it now, you will love your daughter no matter how she comes, she is your daughter!

I have to agree with Anita. Please don't worry or start labeling your baby before she's even born. Some say Autism is more prevalent in boys but also there are A LOT of people who think boys are labeled with ADHD, Autism and a host of other disorders just because they are behaving like boys are supposed to.
I had some people suggest my son had ADHD, even I wondered at one time (tested..he's not) but what I found interesting is a lot of the "symptoms" of ADHD are also symptoms of high intelligence.
If you're interested in the boy's phenomenon and you're looking for something to read, check out "The War Against Boys". You can read the first chapter here
http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/s/sommers-war.html
There's also an excellent article here about what has been occurring over the years with our boys.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005...

They are not sure why, but it is more common in boys. I believe the ratio is one girl for every 4 boys.

My son has autism and I have read books but they did not reference wy boys. I really believe it is a vaccination issue. A pharmacist told me to not let them double up on their shots sometimes they do that when they skipped a shot.

Hello E.,

Yes, autism IS more prevalent in boys, but you still need to be prudent with girls as well since autism affects 1 out of 150 children now. There is a good book called, "Healing the New Childhood Epidemics, Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies" by Dr. Kenneth Bock. I highly recommend this book. There is a suggested immunization schedule in the appendix. Your doctor will put pressure on you and will tell you to "stick with the schedule he/she has" Don't listen. You need to protect your child and many doctors disagree about whether these immunizations contribute to autism. Remember that the blood brain barrier is not well established in babies. I believe that autism is being caused by a number of things. The toxins in our environment, from the air and from our food supply along with immunizations contribute. The immunizations should be delayed longer, separated, and spaced out. It's too much overload of toxins to their little systems. Try to give your baby all organic food and you eat organic if you're nursing. The key is keeping your baby's immune system as strong as possible, especially in the days before and after immunizations. Of course, never have her get a shot if she has a cold (even if still getting over one) or if she has a temperature. I give my son mercury free fish oil, and liquid vitamin C, to boost his immunity before and after shots. If you want to talk more with me about this, my e-mail is ____@____.com Good luck!

Yes Autism does accure in boys 4 times more often than girls. There is no test in the pre-birth range to identify whether a child could have Autism. You shouldn't be afraid. Now, there is 1 in 150 children diagnosed with Autism but The chances of a normal birth are great. I have 2 children of 2 different fathers my oldest girl is 18 and perfictly normal. My 4 year old girl has mild to moderate Autism. Just be on the look out for the markers and keep watch. If you feel anything is wrong seak help and advice and don't let the doctors put you off with Oh they are just a late talker or we will wait and see. Demand a evaluation. Early introvention is the Best thing to do.

Good luck in your pregnancy and I'm sure the baby will be fine. But it is always best to know all the facts.

Don't be scared of autism, you're attracting it to you. Think and feel about what you want, not what you don't want. The force that is growing your child inside you can give health, strentgh and beauty...if you allow it to. Think if your child inside of you, feeling every instance of fear, sadness and worry that you experience. Let the love and trust in. Let go of the fear and enjoy your pregnancy.

No one knows why. But autism is 4 to 5 times more likely in boys then girls. Usually you will beable to see signs of it by 6mo to a year but there has been cases of autism appearing around 2 or 3 years of age.

Please do not worry !
Just educate yourself - especially about the immunisations/vaccinations!
there are vital informations about baby-vaccinations you need to know -
but for now - enjoy your divine pregnancy and PLEASE
Don't WORRY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!