Health encyclopaedia

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Causes of Autism

The causes of autism are not clear. Around 10% relate to a specific medical condition or infection but the remaining 90% have no known cause. Genetic factors are of major importance but other physical conditions affecting development of the brain, before, during or after birth may also be involved.

The condition tends to run in families, and if one of a pair of identical twins is affected the other has a 90–95 per cent chance of also being affected. Brothers and sisters of an autistic child are about twice as likely to be autistic as children from families without such a child. All this suggests that a genetic cause is involved.

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