Association of Risk Factors with At-Risk Cases of Autism

Abstract A neurological condition known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) first manifests before the age of 3. Numerous factors may have an impact on the development of autism; however, its precise causes are yet unknown. The research aims to identify certain risk factors that associate with children at a higher risk of developing autism. This study is a descriptive analysis of 80 children who were identified as being at risk for autism and meeting the requirements of the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers at the community health center. A semistructured proforma was used to collect the baseline data from the mother and the child. Through the use of a thoughtfully created checklist, each child enrolled in the study had a thorough history completed, including the suspected prenatal, intranatal, neonatal, and infant risk factors with the help of their mothers. Descriptive statistics with frequency percentages were adopted for the demographic data of the participants. To find the association between possible risk factors and at-risk cases of ASD, an independent t -test was used. Fisher's exact test and Pearson's chi-squared test ( p  = 0.05, confidence interval = 95%) were used to find how the risks (odds ratios) of the factors studied affect the incidence of ASD. It was discovered that prenatal risk factors, such as pregnancy-related infections and medication use, were statistically significantly linked to an increased risk for autism. Significant intranatal risk factors for autism risk included a breech presentation, cesarean section, forced labor, and resuscitation at birth. Similar to this, the neonatal risk factors included maternal hemorrhage, Rh or ABO incompatibility, birth injuries, and feeding problems. Poor socioeconomic status and seizures were the baby risk variables, both of which were statistically significant and linked to an increased chance of autism. The results of the study support an array of perinatal, intranatal, neonatal, and infant risk factors linked to the likelihood of developing autism.