Recurrence Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Baby Siblings Research Consortium Study

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is defined based on the core symptoms of typical autism. It is considered to be a congenital mental disorder and has nothing to do with acquired family education. Children with this disease have difficulties in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviours [3]. Since it is a severe disease that hinder the development of children, the risk factors of this disease are worth being investigated. One known risk factor is the gender. However, other risks are not defined yet such as the recurrence risk in siblings. Therefore, the author tried to figure out this risk. This paper reviewed a study done in 2011 about the recurrence risk for autism spectrum disorders in siblings. A longitudinal study was used, meaning that the same test subjects were examined over a period of time. The autism diagnostic observation schedule (ADOS), the standard diagnostic test for ASD was used in this study to determine whether a child is diagnosed with ASD. The results were estimated through parameters of a model numerically by an iterative fitting process. It was found through this research that there was indeed a correlation between children who had siblings with ASD and having ASD themselves.