Early life environmental factors associated with autism spectrum disorder symptoms in children at age 2 years: A birth cohort study

Abstract

Mounting evidence finds that early life environmental factors increased the probability of autism spectrum disorder. We estimated prospective associations between early life environmental factors and autism spectrum disorder symptoms in children at the age of 2 years in a population-derived birth cohort, the Barwon Infant Study. Autism spectrum disorder symptoms at the age of 2 years strongly predicted autism spectrum disorder diagnosis by the age of 4 years (area under curve = 0.93; 95% CI (0.82, 1.00)). After adjusting for child’s sex and age at the time of behavioural assessment, markers of socioeconomic disadvantage, such as lower household income and lone parental status; maternal health factors, including younger maternal age, maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index, higher gestational weight gain and prenatal maternal stress; prenatal alcohol; environmental air pollutant exposures, including particulate matter < 2.5 µm at birth, child secondhand tobacco smoke exposure at 12 months, dampness/mould and home heating with oil, kerosene or diesel heaters at 2 years postnatal. Lower socioeconomic indexes for area, later birth order, higher maternal prenatal depression, and maternal smoking frequency had a dose-response relationship with autism spectrum disorder symptoms. Future studies on environmental factors and autism spectrum disorder should consider the reasons for the socioeconomic disparity and the combined impact of multiple environmental factors through common mechanistic pathways. Lay abstract Mounting evidence indicates the contribution of early life environmental factors in autism spectrum disorder. We aim to report the prospective associations between early life environmental factors and autism spectrum disorder symptoms in children at the age of 2 years in a population-derived birth cohort, the Barwon Infant Study. Autism spectrum disorder symptoms at the age of 2 years strongly predicted autism spectrum disorder diagnosis by the age of 4 years (area under curve = 0.93; 95% CI (0.82, 1.00)). After adjusting for child’s sex and age at the time of behavioural assessment, markers of socioeconomic disadvantage, such as lower household income and lone parental status; maternal health factors, including younger maternal age, maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index, higher gestational weight gain and prenatal maternal stress; maternal lifestyle factors, such as prenatal alcohol and environmental air pollutant exposures, including particulate matter < 2.5 μm at birth, child secondhand tobacco smoke at 12 months, dampness/mould and home heating with oil, kerosene or diesel heaters at 2 years postnatal. Lower socioeconomic indexes for area, later birth order, higher maternal prenatal depression and maternal smoking frequency had a dose-response relationship with autism spectrum disorder symptoms. Future studies on environmental factors and autism spectrum disorder should consider the reasons for the socioeconomic disparity and the combined impact of multiple environmental factors through common mechanistic pathways.

Increased maternal non-oxidative energy metabolism mediates association between prenatal DEHP exposure and offspring ASD symptoms: a birth cohort study

“…In this cohort, CBCL-ASP predicted subsequent doctor-diagnosed autism with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.92. 54 In the literature, the CBCL/1.5-5 pervasive developmental problems scale (CBCL-PDP), SDQ-peer and SDQ-prosocial have moderate to high accuracy in distinguishing preschoolers with ASD from those who are typically developing (AUC 0.92 55 , 0.82 and 0.77 56 ), respectively. CBCL-ASP has replaced CBCL-PDP to reflect changes in the DSM-5.…”

“…58 Focus was given to factors previously identified as being associated with ASD. 54 Additional potential confounders were individually added to the model and the change in the estimate of the exposure-outcome association was assessed ( Table 2S ).…”

Early Detection of Neurodevelopmental Disorders of Toddlers and Postnatal Depression by Mobile Health App: Observational Cross-sectional Study

“…To improve the neurodevelopment of the child, we added an early PND screening tool to the ePRO instrument because PND is well known to disrupt the crucial mother-infant relationship on which optimal child development depends. It is the most common complication associated with childbirth, and it may exert harmful effects on children such as increased risk of ASD [ 29 ]. It is usually underdetected or detected after many months.…”

TransLearning ASD: Detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Domain Adaptation and Transfer Learning-Based Approach on RS-FMRI Data

“…These methods can be accomplished successfully only after the symptoms show to a particular extent in the affected children. According to a study, ASD symptoms at the age of 2 years can strongly predict its diagnosis by the age of 4 years [1]. Another study's results show that ASD diagnosis before the age of 2.5 years can be instrumental in significant improvement in social symptoms, later on [2].…”