8 things that don't cause autism

News about the causes of autism always causes outrage, but the reality is that we are still not sure what exactly causes it. We don't even know if the number of autistic people has actually increased significantly. What we do know is that as diagnostic criteria have expanded, the number of people meeting those criteria has also increased.

Could this mean that there are more autistic people now than there were 20-30 years ago? The answer is “possibly.”

There are very few things that undoubtedly increase the risk of developing autism:

• heredity,
• certain medications taken during pregnancy,
• several unknown causes of spontaneous genetic mutations.

We don't know why most autistic people have autism, but we do know that some theories are completely wrong. Here's the truth about some theories we know aren't true.

You can't get autism

Some people are nervous at the thought of children being exposed to autistic peers due to fear of contagion. But autism is not an infectious disease; it cannot be transmitted from person to person through a virus, bacteria or any other way (except heredity).

Even if your child has constant contact with an autistic child, he will not be able to “catch” autism. You may notice that a typically developing child imitates the behavior of an autistic child, but no one becomes autistic because of physical proximity.

You Can't Cause Autism By Letting Your Baby Cry

Parents sometimes worry that their decision to let their child cry rather than rush to soothe him or her may cause autism. The answer is no! A child's confusion cannot cause autism.

While child abuse can certainly cause emotional problems unrelated to autism, allowing a child to cry is not child abuse. Depending on the specific situation, it is possible that excessive outbursts could be a result of autism that has not yet been diagnosed.

Babies with autism can be extremely sensitive to light, smells, sounds or physical sensations, so a wet diaper may be more frightening for an autistic child than for a typically developing child. But there is no way that autism can be caused by anxiety or emotions.

Poor diet does not cause autism

Many parents put their autistic children on gluten-free and casein-free diets. This does not mean that they “caused” autism in their children by feeding them wheat or dairy products (or French fries or soda).

Research suggests that some autistic children have digestive problems that can cause discomfort, and addressing the cause of this discomfort is very likely to improve behavior, alertness and mood. Thus, changing your diet may (in a small percentage of cases) improve signs of autism, but poor diet does not cause autism.

“Bad” parenting does not cause autism

Decades ago, Bruno Bettelheim famously influenced the medical field with his theory that autism is caused by “cold” mothers. Bruno Bettelheim was wrong, but a generation of parents of children with autism nevertheless found themselves at the root of those problems. This painful accusation is a thing of the past.

Cable TV does not cause autism

A study came out a while back that suggested that since cable TV and autism rose in popularity at the same time, there might be a connection. There is no evidence to support the idea that allowing your child to watch a lot of TV will cause autism. On the other hand, once your child has received a diagnosis, it makes sense to limit screen time in favor of more interactive activities. In fact, limiting screen time is generally a good idea!

Mobile phones don't cause autism

For years, the media has reported theories that suggest electromagnetic radiation generated by cell phones and Wi-Fi networks is to blame for the rise in autism. This theory most likely arose because the use of mobile technology and autism diagnoses in the autism field were increasing at about the same rate over a similar period of time.

There are studies confirming that such radiation does affect the brain, but until now there has been no reliable connection between it and autism.

Difficult family situations do not cause autism

One mother was told her son was autistic because “he has too many siblings.” Others worry that a divorce or death in the family may have caused autism in a child.

This is an absolute lie.

Children cope with divorce, death and much more, and although there may be psychological consequences, such situations cannot be the cause of autism. However, if a child becomes withdrawn or unhappy, there is a chance that they are suffering from a mood disorder that is not associated with autism and which should be diagnosed.

Butt spanking does not cause autism

Blows to the head, lack of oxygen and other injuries can, of course, cause brain damage. Children with brain damage may exhibit behavior similar to children with autism or even be diagnosed on the autism spectrum. But spanking the butt, while it may be a controversial parenting option, cannot cause autism in a child.

Recent research shows that genetics is the most important factor in autism.

In some cases this means that autism is hereditary, in other cases random mutations play a role.

Whether you live in a mansion or a barracks, eat organic greens or packaged pasta, spoil your child or let him cry, it is extremely unlikely that you (or anyone else) caused your child's autism.

The most important thing you can do for children is to love, support and help them achieve everything they can in life!

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