Obstetric complications and autism in Jamaican children [abstract]

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: There has been an increased prevalence of autism worldwide. Research in developed countries has identified a number of associations, though no direct agent has been identified. Mothers of autistic children have been shown to have more obstetric complications than others. There is little information available about autistic disorder in developing countries. This study sought to determine the relationship between obstetric and perinatal history and the diagnosis of autistic disorder in Jamaican children. METHODS: Children with autistic disorder were identified from public hospital records, private paediatricians' records and from registers of special schools. Parents of 55 Jamaican children were interviewed about the pre-natal and peri-natal periods. Their experiences were compared with those of a national sample of young children for whom pre-natal and peri-natal information was already available. The same questionnare was administered to both groups of parents. RESULTS: The mean ñ Standard Deviation age of autistic children was 6.3 ñ 4.3 years. There was a male preponderance in the autistic group (79 percent), compared with the control group (forty eight percent). Families with autistic children had significantly fewer children (mean/SD 2.54 ñ 1.5) than the non-autistic control group (mean/SD4.02 ñ 2.5) (p<0.05). Mothers of autistic children had higher rates of complications during labour (30.2 percent compared with 12.8 percent) and pregnancy (30.2 percent compared with 13.4 percent), but these did not achieve statistical significance. A greater proportion of autistic children was either born prematurely or late and was admitted to the hospital but these differences were not statistically significant. Breast feeding rates were similar. CONCLUSION: This study showed that mothers of autistic children in Jamaica have a higher rate of obstetric complications, as has been found in other countries. Mothers have a significantly higher mean age at the birth of an autistic child and have significantly fewer children. Parents may opt not to have any more children once a child with a disability has been born. (AU)