Autism spectrum disorder in relation to associated factors of children in salah-addin province: Iraq

Abstract

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and the presence of restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. Rising prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in the last decades has led research to focus on the diagnosis and identification of factors associated with ASD. This paper sought for possible factors that put children at risk for ASD. In this study, we investigated the association between ASD and child factors in Iraqi people. Aim of the study: To assess the relationship and estimate the effect of child risk factors with the development of autism spectrum disorders among Iraqi children in Salah-addin city. Methods: An observational case-control study involving 180 children (90 autistic children and 90 healthy children), was conducted in salah-addin city through the period (from 15 Nov. 2021 to 20 march 2022), using Arabic language interviewer administered questionnaire through direct interview and the collected data was measured using chi-square and represented by a suitable tables and figures. Results:The study shows that among 90 autistic child 81% (73) children were male in gender and 61% (55) children were diagnosed between (3-6) years of age. The study found that 68.2% (62) children have a positive family history for development of ASD. Conclusions: Most of affected children are male and two third of them diagnosed at ages between (3-6) years. Family history of autism was common among the autistic children.

Environmental risk factors for Autism

“…The study was aimed to investigate various social and environmental factors related to autism. It suggested that autism is a male predominance disorder with a male-tofemale ratio of 2.6:1, this is in consistence with a study done in Salah-addin / Iraq, where 81% of the autistic sample were male [9] . The same was reported by Ratto AB et al, who declared that there is really a higher frequency of ASD among males, with a ratio about 3:1, This figure had attributed to the familial patterns and genetic links that made it "protective" in girls.…”

“…Family history of autism or other mental health disorders, appeared in this study, to be significantly associated with autism risk p= 0.0001 & p= 0.006 respectively. The same was observed in salah-addin province/Iraq in 2022 [9] . This might explain the genetic responsibility for autism, as declared in South Carolina Project for autism, where anomalies of chromosome 15 have arisen [14] .…”

“…Which was reliable with that seen in Australia, where a study conducted on a larger sample of autistic cases, the average age of diagnosis was 28 months [13] . Another study done recently in 2022, in which 61% of children with autism were diagnosed between (3-6) years of age [9] . Family history of autism or other mental health disorders, appeared in this study, to be significantly associated with autism risk p= 0.0001 & p= 0.006 respectively.…”