Bolobiongo 1

Mboli Bolobiongo
Professor Jizi
Uwrit 1103
04 November 2015

Is there a prenatal screening that could predict 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. I want to
discover if there is a way to predetermine ASD risk factors with tests and screening before the
birth of a fetus. If there is a way, I want to gain knowledge and understand the methods that are
used to prevent the disorder from fully developing.
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 both biologically and environmental.

Bolobiongo 2

I never really paid much attention to the disorder of Autism, 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 Jacob, my sisters son, was diagnosed with 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 want 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.

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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.