Along with genetics, certain environmental factors can increase the risk of autism, including: Advanced parental age, Exposure to air pollution or pesticides during pregnancy, Maternal conditions like obesity, hypothyroidism or diabetes, Premature birth or low birth weight & Birth complications, like oxygen deprivation to the brain. While these factors may raise the likelihood of autism in children (this is primary autism), they don’t directly cause it. When combined with genetic factors, however, they canincrease the risk.
The brain’s synapses (connections between brain cells) are crucial for learning and communication. In children with autism, these connections may not form as expected, affecting how they interact with others and respond to their environment. Understanding brain plasticity—the brain’s ability to adapt—is key in dentifying how autism develops and how interventions can help.
Yes, we have seen cases where vaccines are known to trigger autism in a child. We call this as secondary autism. In 1998 paper by Andrew Wakefield and olleagues confirmed this point, however scientific community later discarded this paper. However we still see many cases where vaccination especially MMR given at 18 months of age stops the process of synaptic pruning triggering autism.
