Perinatal and Socio-Economic Risk Factors of Autism in Children attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangladesh

Abstract

Objective: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder where genetic factors play causal role. This case-control study explored the association between perinatal and socioeconomic status with risk of autism. Method: It was a case control study among children who came from different areas of the country during the period of 2005 to 2015 for assessment in the outdoor facility of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. One hundred children were diagnosed autism by Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)-Generic. Among them 79 were boys and 21 were girls. Another one hundred children without autism were taken as control, 65 of them were boys and 35 were girls. Perinatal and socioeconomic risk factors were analyzed in these two groups, using medical records. Result: Mean age of the ASD children was 3.51+1.58 year and control was 3.80+1.53. Male predominance was observed in ASD children. After univariate analysis three significant variables identified to pose as risk for autism. These were parental advanced level of education (P=<0.001), urban residence (P=<0.001) and neonatal jaundice (P=<0.001). Variables like male sex, occupation as service holder and low birth weight at birth approached significance at the 0.05 level. Conclusion: Results suggested that parental profile as well as perinatal environment are associated with risk of autism and this factor act independently.