Autism is more common in people working in STEM(Science, tech, engineering, math)
Dr. Karen Parker, a renowned expert in the field of psychiatry and social neurosciences, provides insights into the world of autism.
Check out key insights on the biology of social connections, the increasing incidence of autism diagnoses, and current and emerging treatments for this complex disorder.
Complexities in Autism Diagnosis
Diagnosis of autism primarily relies on behavioral patterns observed by experts such as psychiatrists or psychologists as there isn’t any blood test or similar diagnostic tool available yet.
Comorbidity Factors in Autism
Many individuals with autism present other conditions like anxiety, sensory challenges, seizure disorders, sleep disorders etc., along with core features like pervasive social interaction challenges and restricted repetitive behavior.
‘Autism is a behavioral diagnosis by an expert so usually a psychiatrist or a psychologist and they look for two core features so the so this is based on the DSM um five and there the two core features are pervasive social interaction challenges and the presence of restricted repetitive behavior.’ – Dr. Karen Parker
Early Detection Crucial for Autism Management
Early detection is vital for managing autism effectively; advanced screening tools used during pediatric visits have enabled clinicians to reliably diagnose children as young as two to three years old.
Mysteries Surrounding Autism Causes
Despite advancements in early detection and diagnosis, much about the causes of autism remains unknown.
New findings from Dr. Parker’s lab point towards a novel understanding of what causes autism and potential treatment approaches.
Autism’s Genetic Component
Autism is highly heritable.
If one child in a family has autism, the risk of subsequent children having autism increases.
‘Autism is a highly clinically heterogeneous disorder which means that if you’ve met one kid with autism, you’ve met one kid with autism.’ – Dr. Karen Parker
Association Between Autism Traits and STEM Fields
Autistic traits are continuously distributed across the general population.
Individuals in intensive STEM fields like engineering, physics, and math have a greater burden of autistic traits even if they don’t have an Autism diagnosis.
Understanding the Autism Spectrum
The spectrum nature of Autism signifies that there are different traits among those diagnosed with it.
It might be more accurate to say there could be multiple spectrums – severity, stereotype behaviors etc intersecting with each other.
Genetics’ Role in Autism Severity
Approximately 40% to 80% of autism is genetic.
Common thinking suggests that about 50% is associated with common genetic variants which underlie the spectrum condition leading to a wide range of severity observed.
