Health experts in Missouri are welcoming renewed public interest in autism, following recent remarks from the White House and federal health officials about possible factors linked to the condition.
The national conversation explores both genetic and environmental factors, and the potential role of certain medications. In Missouri, the most recent data show that about one in 41 eight-year-olds has been identified as being on the autism spectrum.
Pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Black, a developmental and behavioral pediatrician and medical director at the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment in Columbia, said that although there's nothing conclusive, research continues to point to genetics as a key factor.
"More and more as the technologies improve, we get better at interpreting genetic studies," he said. "We are able to identify specific genetic ideologies for more and more of the patients that we serve."
Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that autism affects about one in 31 children. The condition remains far more common in boys – at about one in 20 – compared with one in 70 girls.
Some of the latest controversy has focused on whether taking acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, during pregnancy might increase the risk of autism. Black, who is also an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, stressed that the evidence isn’t clear, and researchers are still working to understand what role, if any, medications could play.
"The take-home message," he said, is that "mothers who are pregnant – or thinking that they might become pregnant – should talk with their physicians and make sure that they're getting the most up-to-date information that's most relevant and specific to their own health."
While the national conversation may be heated, Black said it's bringing researchers, clinicians and families together. He added that while there’s no single treatment for autism, new discoveries are helping doctors better tailor their patient care and support.
The Missouri Public News Service originally published this story. MPNS is a partner with KRCU Public Radio.
