The Web address of this article is http://sfhelp.org/gwc/news/autism.htm

Updated 01-23-2015

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This Swedish research study illustrates a possible tie between parental "mental illness" and autism in kids. This suggests that parents' psychological may harm the next generations, which is the central premise of this nonprofit Web site.

See my comments after the article for more perspective. The links and hilights below are mine. - Peter Gerlach , MSW

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In another sign pointing to an inherited component to autism, a study released on Monday found that having a schizophrenic parent or a mother with psychiatric problems roughly doubled a child's risk of being autistic.

"Our research shows that mothers and fathers diagnosed with schizophrenia were about twice as likely to have a child diagnosed with autism," said Julie Daniels of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who worked on the study.



"We also saw higher rates of depression and personality disorders among mothers, but not fathers," she said in a statement.



The study of families in Sweden with children born between 1977 and 2003 involved 1,227 children diagnosed with autism. They were compared with families of nearly 31,000 children who did not have autism. Sweden's detailed health registry provides a wealth of data for such studies.



Autism, which is marked by impaired social interaction and communication, or a related disorder like Asperger's syndrome, affects an estimated one out of every 150 U.S. children, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. Asperger's is marked by mild social awkwardness.



No one knows what causes autism, but researchers think it is likely that several genes and possibly environmental factors contribute. Some autism advocates believe childhood vaccinations play a role, although most medical experts say it is extremely unlikely.



Which genes lie behind various mental illnesses are also poorly understood, according to the researchers, whose study appeared in the journal Pediatrics , published by the American Academy of Pediatrics.



"Earlier studies have shown a higher rate of psychiatric disorders in families of autistic children than in the general population," Daniels said.



The association between a child's autism and mental illness in the parent was strongest with schizophrenia, and was less powerful when the mother suffered from depression or personality disorders. There was little association between autism and parental addiction to alcohol or drugs or some other types of mental illness.



It was not clear if it was significant that having a mother, but not a father, with certain mental illnesses, raised the risk of autism.



"Establishing an association between autism and other psychiatric disorders might enable future investigators to better focus on genetic and environmental factors that might be shared among these disorders," Daniels said.



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Comments

This mass-media research summary supports a main premise in this Web site - that nonorganic psychological "disorders" are unintentionally the generations. After 36 years' clinical research, I propose that most (or all?) such "disorders" are based on up to six specific psychological + parental and social

This brief summary promotes the outdated, misleading terms "mental illness" and "psychiatric illness." which come form the century-old "medical model" of psychological disorders. This model - proposed by doctors - is slowly being superseded by new non-medical paradigms including concepts. This brief YouTube video explains my opinion:

This research summary states "No one knows what causes schizophrenia." - i.e. there is no current consensus as to whether that abnormal condition has organic or psychological roots, or both.

The report suggests a causative link between childhood autism and parental schizophrenia and/or "mental illness" - specially with troubled mothers. If schizophrenia is promoted by psychological disorders, that suggests autistic behavior and Asperger's Syndrome are at least partly caused by significant caregiver wounds and unawareness.

This Web-wide report also promotes the misconception that drug dependence and addiction is a "mental illness." Any toxic compulsion is not an "illness" - it is an unconscious attempt to mute and distract from major inner pain: shame + guilt + hurt + sadness + confusion + despair. These result from early-childhood and situational trauma.

Overall, this study adds urgency to people recognizing the social need for responsible child-conception and Lessons in this free educational Web site propose how to do that.