(Photo credit: hepingting/Flickr)
Toronto’s Hospital of Sick Kids researchers recently published a breakthrough in autism research that could go a long way in helping people diagnosed with the developmental disorder.
For about a year, Sick Kids’ senior scientist Stephen Scherer and his colleagues have been working on a genome project that has led to the identification of gene mutations linked to autism. They’ve produced a formula to help identify the chances of mutations, which can lead to an earlier autism diagnosis and would be crucial to early intervention programs to help improve brain functioning. In the long run, this could also help in the development of drugs treating the disorder.
During the study, the team was able to identify small gene segments known as exons with mutations. They were able to find an additional 3,955 exon mutations in 1,744 genes that may contribute to the risk of autism. While this has given researchers an additional 1,600 genes to study, in the past only about 100 genes were flagged, which helps researchers narrow their scope, according to the Toronto Star.
Their research also discovered that these mutations leading to autism start as early as during the child’s development in their mother’s womb.
In North America, the rate of autism is on the rise and it’s estimated that 1 in 68 children have autism or another related disorder, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, which matches with a 2012 study on autism prevalence, according to CTV News.
While a better understanding of autism has led to more diagnoses from doctors, this doesn’t explain the rate jump from past estimates of 1 in 88 children, says Vice Chair of Autism Speaks Canada, Jill Farber, in our interview with her last year.
Researchers are learning more and more about autism every day, but it’s also important to realize when your child may have a disorder.
Here’s an infographic we produced that offers insight into symptoms to look out for in your newborn.
Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers are proud sponsors of Autism Speaks and have been a part of the Ontario Community for more than 45 years. We have handled numerous personal injury claims for clients and we know how to get you the compensation you need. Call us at 416-920-4242 to set up a free consultation. Come chat with us!