Researchers from the UC Davis MIND Institute and the Baby Siblings Research Consortium have found that siblings of autistic children have a significantly higher likelihood of being diagnosed with autism. Published in Pediatrics, the study reveals that about 20% of later-born siblings in families with an autistic child are diagnosed with autism, a rate approximately seven times higher than that of children without autistic siblings. The researchers aimed to address families’ concerns about the chances of future siblings being diagnosed with autism, especially in light of the increasing prevalence of autism diagnoses, which have risen from 1 in 110 children in 2011 to 1 in 36 today. This surge prompted the team to update previous estimates from a 2011 study that found an 18.7% diagnosis rate among younger siblings.
Siblings of Autistic Children Face Sevenfold Increased Risk of Autism
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