Abstract
Background Autism is a chronic and lifelong pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder that affects children’s social, language/communication, and behavioral development. Risk factors for autism include prenatal, perinatal, and neonatal factors, whereas early detection of autism includes impairment of language and communication characteristics. Aim of the study The aim of the study was to identify the risk factors for autism. Patients and methods This study included 43 autistic children collected from psychiatric and pediatric clinics in Al-Ahsa Hospital (Al-Ahsa City, KSA). Autistic children were diagnosed clinically and confirmed by application of Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Generic. The study also included 43 age-matched children who came for vaccination as a control group. Unfavorable prenatal, perinatal, and neonatal events and language and communication difficulties were examined and compared in both groups. Results The majority of the autistic group were boys 34 (79.07%) in comparison with 24 boys (55.81%) in the control group (P=0.0213). The maternal age above 35 years was found in 17 (39.53%) patients in the study group versus five (11.63%) in the control group (P=0.0030). Among the autistic children, the rate of uterine bleeding 17 (39.53%), prolonged labor 18 (41.86%), low birth weight 11 (25.58%), and birth hypoxia 12 (27.91%) was significantly more than in the control group [4 (9.3%), 7 (16.28%), 3 (6.98%), and 4 (9.3%), respectively]. In the autistic group, family discord 23 (53.49%) and family move 17 (39.54%) were more frequent than in the control group [12 (27.91%) and 5 (11.63%), respectively]. Reciprocal social skills were less frequent in autistic children 17 (39.54%) than in the control group children 31 (72.09%), whereas lack of social smile, poor eye contact, and language delay were more frequent among autistic children [23 (53.49%), 21 (48.84%), and 35 (81.4%), respectively] than in the control group children [9 (20.93%), 7 (16.28%), and 8 (18.61%), respectively]. Conclusion Study of risk factors for autistic disorder and follow-up assessment enable early diagnosis of autism in younger children, leading to earlier intervention and assistance for an improved prognosis and long-term outcome.
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