About Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition caused by differences in brain development, affecting communication, social interaction, behaviour and learning patterns.
- Symptoms of ASD typically appear before the age of 3 years, though diagnosis is often delayed, particularly in low-awareness settings.
- People with ASD may display repetitive behaviours, narrow interests, and may have unusual learning styles or motor skills.
Causes
- ASD is not caused by a single factor. It results from a complex interaction of genetic and environmental influences.
- Genetics plays a strong role, with studies showing heritability estimates of up to 91% (Tick et al., JAMA, 2016).
- Environmental contributors such as advanced parental age, prenatal exposure to air pollutants, and maternal health are being studied, but no single environmental toxin has been conclusively proven to cause autism.
- Vaccines do not cause autism. This claim stems from a discredited study, and continued misinformation can lead to dangerous vaccine hesitancy.
