Bolobiongo 1

Mboli Bolobiongo
Professor Jizi
Uwrit 1103
04 November 2015

Prenatal screening predicting early risk factors of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Over two decades ago Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), was
considered a rare disorder. It effected a tiny part of the U.S population. Around the late 1980s an
increasing trend of the Autism disorder started catching medical professionals and doctors
attention. In an article written by Senator John L Sampson, he indicated that In December 2009
the U.S Centers for Disease Control stated that the number of children afflicted with Autism
disorder was 1 in 110 8 year olds. Today the disorder is now more common than pediatric
cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined. It is a major health and mental challenge for us.
The causes of autism remain an enigma. Many medical researchers have found that
Autism disorder is linked to an abnormality brain structure of a child. There is an ongoing study
that researchers believe Autism may also be linked to a cluster of unstable genes that interfere
with brain development. Also, the prevalence of Autism has spawned interest in the involvement
of toxins in our environment. Some influences of the environment are prenatal exposure to
chemicals, maternal nutrition, prematurity, and parental age of conceptions. It is important to
examine all the possible influences involved in the cause of Autism to gain a more understanding
of the factors on both biologically and environmental.
I never really paid much attention to the disorder of Autism because at first it did not
have much meaning and effect to me in my life. It was when my sister and I were sitting at the
doctors office being told that my Jacob, my sisters son, my nephew was diagnosed with

Bolobiongo 2

Autism. We were very oblivious of the symptoms Jacob displayed. It wasnt until we were told
his diagnoses, when I started putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. Jacob started talking
when he was about one year of age. By the time he became one and half years old he stopped
talking. The only way he communicated with us was by him pointing and leading us to what he
wanted. That was one of his early signs, my family thought it was normal and that he would
eventually start talking like he did before. By the time he was two years and a half he started
worrying, wondering what could be wrong with him. My sister then took him to the doctors, they
ran scans and found out that he was diagnosed with Autism. From that day on I started doing
heavy research on the effects of Autism, if theres a way for the disorder to get cure, how it is
caused, relating factors of it and etc. I choose this inquiry question because I wanted to do some
more exploring on Autism disorder, and I want to find out if there is any screening or tests that
can predetermine any risk factors before birth. If there is, I want to know and understand if there
is a way to prevent the disorder before it fully develops in the child.

Bolobiongo 3

Citation
McGlashen, Andy. "Ultrasound at Birth Can Predict Autism Risk." Futurity- Health and
Medicine. 6 Feb. 2013. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.
Sampson, John. "Autism: A Growing Problem That Needs More Attention." Canarsie
Courier. Canarsie Courier Production, Inc. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.
Fombonne, Eric. "Is There an Epidemic of Autism?" American Academy of Pediatrics.
2015. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.