People at risk
ASDs occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups and are four times more likely to occur in boys than in girls. CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network released data in 2007 indicating that about one in 150 eight-year-old children in multiple areas of the United States have ASDs.
Genetics and family history
For most people with ASDs, the cause is not known and there are likely to be multiple causes for the ASDs. Scientists believe that both genes and the environment play a role in ASDs. Family studies have provided evidence for a genetic contribution to autism. Among identical twins, if one child has autism, the other will be affected about 75% of the time. The risk decreases to about 3% for non-identical twins. In addition, parents who have a child with ASD have a 2%-8% chance of having a second child who is also affected.
To read more about other suspected causes of ASDs, please visit the Autism Spectrum Disorders Overview Web page.
Activities on ASDs
CDC conducts and funds research studies and monitoring activities to better understand and track ASDs in the United States. These research studies examine a number of potential risk factors for ASDs, such as infection and immune function, as well as genes that are related to these factors. CDC also conducts educational campaigns with healthcare providers and the public to help detect symptoms of ASDs early. To read more about these activities, please visit the CDC Activities page of CDC's Autism Information Center Web site.
The U.S. National Institutes of Health and other agencies help to support the Autism Genome Project Consortium, the largest search for autism-related genes to date. The consortium is pursuing studies to identify specific genes and gene variants that contribute to susceptibility to autism.
General Information on Autism
Specific Information on Autism and Genomics
Family History Resources and Tools
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