Is this a form of genetic inherited autism?

Question

In this family (several generations) about 2/3 of the girls have psychological problems but are quite creative and 50% of the boys have a slight to moderate learning disability and problems with balance. Those not afflicted seem okay. Both sexes seem to carry the genetic problem which ramdomly affects any children they have. The boys affected have moonish looking faces but not as severe as downs children. Could this be Asbergers Syndrome or are there any other ideas? Any help in understanding this would be appreciated, thank you.

It must be some form of high-level autism, which is why I thought about Asbergers. With so many affected it must have a genetic component. My fear is or course for the future siblings of the current generation and what to tell them about procreation risks. Genetic profiling has been suggested but I know of no definitive genetic test for Asbergers or any way of prenatal determination of this.

This family looks unusual as the affected numbers a very high. One symptom is shyness in the girls when young who were all seen by the family as "quiet" some being bullied at school as a result. One girl has gone on to become bulimic and has other OCD problems. The boys all needed considerable support growing up. All are independent by their late teens although fixated by relatively narrow interests.

Only the boys have the balance problems and an unusual gait but this varies in severity between individuals. One being thought to be flatfooted another being very unstable on stairs and ladders

Answer 1

Hi, I think autism and sensory disorders (trouble with balance) are inherited because quite a few people in my family are just like the people you are talking about. It could very well be Asperger's Syndrome because both boys and girls can have this and they do include all the problems that you mentioned. However...Asperger's Syndrome has no facial changes. It could be a different syndrome closely related though...lots of genetic syndromes can have symptoms that are very closely related to autism. Some syndromes even include what is called autistic like behaviors. Have you ever thought of getting the family...all of them tested at a geneticist? Also it could be a metabolic problem so you could also have everyone tested with a specialist in metabolics. The tests are usually just a simple blood test...nothing scary or anything. Good Luck!

Answer 2

No one really knows what causes autism, though some are exploring the possibility that there is a genetic factor involved. There is definately a genetic factor with other psychological problems, though some of the problems are also related to what the kids are actually taught.

Since you mention that so many boys have trouble with balance and learning problems, there probably is something wrong with how their brains are wired, so to speak. Or maybe there is a problem with their inner ears, which could effect hearing and balance, and seem to effect their learning.

You might want to try to make contact with a research group about this: Without seeing any of the people you speak of, I'm in no position to make any guesses even if I were a physician instead of an interested layman.

Good luck!

Answer 3

What makes you suspect autism? You haven't listed any of the most common traits of autism.

Little or no eye contact
Little speech (Aspergers have more speech but they tend to speak mono-tone)
"Stemming" like rocking or hand-flapping.

There is strong evidence genetics is a MAJOR factor in auin a child's likelihood to have autism, but it's not totally genetics. If one fraternal twin is autistic, the 2nd twin is no more likely to be autistic than siblings born at different times (about 6%). But if one identical twin is autistisc, the 2nd child is at least 10 times more likely to be autistic than siblings born at different times (about 60-80%.) If genes were the sole cause of autism, the identical twin of an autistic child would ALWAYS be autistic. So it appears there are both intrinsic AND extrinsic factors, combined.

Answer 4

Autism has an particularly solid genetic component, in spite of the indisputable fact that it can't be defined totally with the help of genetics. If there are 2 similar twins (which must be almost thoroughly genetically similar) and one has autism, there is someplace between a 20 - 60% threat that the different twin will wade through from autism too-- this on my own exhibits that at the same time as genes are major, there must be some environmental component (in spite of the indisputable fact that if the version occurs contained in the womb). contained in terms of non-twin siblings the "concordance price" is a lot decrease. apparently, there are certain personality good factors that were stated at more advantageous frequencies contained in the households of autistic little ones than in non-affected households. maximum curiously, autism occurs at more advantageous frequencies contained in the households of engineers and scientists. this signifies that autism ought to nicely be the far end of a spectrum of a customary classification of personality features. As for different non-genetic aspects that ought to impact autism, little is conventional. people have needlessly panicked contained in the previous about connections between particular vaccinations ensuing in autism, yet no sturdy information helps this association. No confirm ought to experience that they one way or the different did some ingredient incorrect to provide there newborn autism. at the same time as some have said that the autism has been occuring extra in many situations lately, it truly is probable not by way of an easily strengthen contained in the kind of people with autism. as a replace, there are in simple terms extra those with autism easily transforming into correct clinically determined with it. between the earliest in many situations said indications of autism in little ones is a lack of accepted eye contact with mom and father and others. playstation -As for Richard W's comments that autism is led to with the help of low dopamine, there is almost no information for this. Autism is easily a affliction contained in the variety of the mind, not contained in the each day maintanance of neurotransmitter ranges-- if it were that straightforward, autism ought to nicely be cured with a touch cocaine or ritalin. apart from, there is not any solid information of any association between unusual eating routine and autism.