Is My Child's Autism Inherited?
Autism is common. It is estimated that around 1 in 100 people in the UK are autistic, although the true figure may be higher because some people, particularly girls and women, may be under-recognised or diagnosed later.
Autism is diagnosed more often in boys than girls. This may partly reflect real differences, but it may also be influenced by differences in how autistic traits present and how easily they are recognised.
Is autism inherited?
Autism is usually caused by a combination of factors. Genetics can play an important role, which means autism can run in families. However, for most autistic people, there is not one single inherited genetic change that fully explains why they are autistic.
In a small proportion of people, autism is associated with an identifiable genetic condition. One example is Fragile X syndrome, which is an inherited condition and a recognised single-gene cause associated with autism and learning disability.
Can genetic testing help?
Genetic testing may be helpful for some children or adults with autism, particularly where there are additional features such as:
Testing can look for some of the more common inherited conditions linked with autism, including Fragile X syndrome. A genetic test does not always find a cause, and a negative result does not mean that autism is not genetic. It simply means that the tests carried out did not identify a clear genetic explanation.
What does this mean for our family?
Because autism can have many different causes, the chance of autism occurring again in a family varies from person to person. A genetics appointment can help review your child's development, medical history and family history, and advise whether genetic testing is appropriate.
Further information
Further information about autism and possible causes is available from the National Autistic Society.
autism.org.uk — The causes of autismCould genetic testing help your family?
If you would like to understand whether genetic testing may be helpful for your child or family, please book an appointment to discuss this in more detail.
Book an initial 45-minute consultation for only £175