Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex highly heritable disorder, in which multiple environmental factors interact with the genes to increase its risk and lead to variable clinical presentations and outcomes. Furthermore, the inherent fundamental deficits of ASD in social attention and interaction critically diverge children from the typical pathways of learning, “creating” what we perceive as autism syndrome during the first three years of life. Later in life, training and education, the presence and management of comorbidities, as well as social and vocational support throughout the lifespan, will define the quality of life and the adaptation of an individual with ASD. Given the overall burden of ASD, prevention strategies seem like a cost-effective endeavour that we have to explore. In this paper, we take a life course approach to prevention. We will review the possibilities of the management of risk factors from preconception until the perinatal period, that of early intervention in the first three years of life and that of effective training and support from childhood until adulthood.
Highlights
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by deficits in social communication; social interactions and restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviours, interests or activities [1]
Taking the overall data from these two different early interventions, one could argue that a secondary prevention during this period of life is feasible but, a cost-effective and mandatory endeavour that can even reduce the prevalence of the disorder
In the previous sections, we focused on prevention strategies aiming mainly at reducing the incidence, prevalence and severity of autism symptoms, in this third part, we discuss preventive measures to maximise and sustain adaptation
Summary
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by deficits in social communication; social interactions and restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviours, interests or activities [1]. The lifelong financial costs per person with ASD in the USA were calculated in 2014 to be $2.4 million if the person had comorbid intellectual disability and $1.4 million if he/she did not, with a total cost that surpassed the entire Gross Domestic Product of 139 countries around the world [5]. These figures, along with the fact that no medication or other biological therapy for ASD is currently available (albeit recent advances) [6], render the implementation of prevention strategies a logical, cost-effective and rather imperative step for the scientific community, the health authorities and ASD advocates
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