Autism is a general term for a group of conditions referred to as: autism, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Asperger syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), Rett syndrome, and childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD).
As the word spectrum in ASD suggests, children with autism may have a wide range of behaviors and issues, including social impairments, communication difficulties, and repetitive, patterns of behavior.
We do not know what causes autism, however most researchers believe it is genetic, with the potential for an environmental impact. There is no scientific support for the vaccine theory.
Because there is no way to know if your child will have autism before he or she is born we have had to depend on behavioral testing that usually only works well when children are 2, 3 or even 4 years or older.
If you already have a child with autism, you have a nine (9) times greater chance of having another child with autism. If you have more than one child with autism, the chances of having another child with autism goes up even more.
A child’s brain changes very dramatically in the first years of life. MRI images show amazing changes in the nerve pathways of the brain from birth to 18 years of age. Once these pathways develop they are very hard to modify.
That is why diagnosing autism as early as possible is so important. The earlier the diagnosis of autism is made, the easier it is to change the behavior of children with autism.
The placenta is part of the baby, not part of the mother. By looking at the baby’s placenta after delivery we can tell you what the probability is of your child being at risk for developing autism.
Researchers at Yale University have discovered that abnormal folds in the placenta are associated with children that have autism.
These abnormal folds lead to the appearance of abnormal structures called trophoblast inclusions (TIs: see figure above), which can be accurately counted by doctors in the Kliman Laboratories at Yale University.
If your child has a positive PlacentASD® Test, we will refer you to services and professionals that may be able to help you, your child, and your family.
In addition, we will refer you to services that can help you maximize your current insurance coverage so your child will have access to the best possible services that are available.
Dr. Harvey J. Kliman, Research Scientist at the Yale School of Medicine, joined the program to talk about Autism and the Placenta. Some recent research raises the possibility that analyzing the placenta after birth may provide clues to a child’s risk for developing autism.