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The development of autism in a child depends on the age of both parents
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
Both maternal and paternal age together are responsible for whether a child will suffer from autism, according to scientists from the University of Texas (USA).
The researchers compared 68 Jamaican couples who were matched for age and gender of their children. They found that mothers who had offspring with autism were, on average, 6.5 years older than women who had healthy children. The corresponding age difference for men was 5.9 years.
In previous studies, the statistical models used made it difficult for scientists to assess maternal and paternal age as a combined risk factor. The problem was multicollinearity (multiple linear dependence of variables), which was now avoided by using more complex statistical models.
The results of the study were published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
Autism spectrum disorders are characterized by behavioral and neurodevelopmental impairments in social interaction and communication, as well as frequently repetitive, obsessive behavioral acts. These disorders include five diseases: autism (Kanner syndrome), Asperger syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, Rett syndrome, and nonspecific pervasive developmental disorder (or atypical autism). According to conservative estimates, one in every hundred children in the United States suffers from autism spectrum disorders.