Autism and Environment: The NIH is finally searching for answers

Let's pause a second and remember why studies on environmental triggers in autism are important: this photo says it all; genetically vulnerable children need protecting from our environment.

Child 2 years before regression foreshadowing his great vulnerability

NIH Autism Study to Leave No Stone Unturned
US Government officials are finally getting serious about studying all potential environmental factors in autism, and I for one applaud them heartily for leaving no etiological stone unturned…Read the excellent report from D. Kirby on Huffington Post.

Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigations- EARLY
EARLI is a network of research sites that will enroll and follow 1,200 mothers of children with autism at the start of another pregnancy and document the newborn child’s development through three years of age. The EARLI Study will examine possible environmental risk factors for autism and study whether there is any interplay between environmental factors and genetic susceptibility.

Even though this study is a major undertaking, requiring very substantial funding and a very large scale screen across the population to reach sufficient statistical power, I have no doubt that it is feasible given the means. It’s only with this type of study that we will get to the bottom of the matter.

Other smaller scale studies done in the UK will add to the debate. For example, a study conducted by Dr. Barbara Maher from Lancaster University suggests that traffic pollution causes abnormal levels of - so-called "particulates" - produced in vehicle exhaust. The UK Environment Secretary Hilary Benn admits there is a problem but says 24 out of 27 members of the European Union are in breach of the standards.

Particulates produced by vehicle exhaust collected on young tree leaves in a street in Lancaster

In a different study conducted by Professor Jonathan Grigg in London earlier this year, measuring the lung capacity of 8- and 9-year-olds, it was found that 7% of the children have lung function reduced to a level internationally regarded as hazardous.

Professor Grigg reported to the BBC: "Our findings in the East End of London are that children living here have slightly lower lung function than what we'd expect from the national average.
"Now, if that's due to air pollution, as we suspect, they're going to be at increased risk from a range of respiratory disorders such as asthma and infection, and may be at risk in adulthood."

Video report

These recent findings in the UK are consistent with the view that our environment is progressively getting more toxic and can affect children's development and health in multiple ways. We have to keep in mind that autism is not the only condition on the rise. ADHD, ADD, Asthma, Eczema, allergies in children and multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer disease in adults are also more and more common. With the recent acknowledgment that medical doctors amongst professionals find difficult to recognise the signs of autism, we can hardly continue to pretend that the rise in the autism prevalence is due to better diagnosis and recognition.