A researcher from Northwestern University in Illinois found that twins born with a low birth weight were three times more likely to develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than their heavier counterparts.
Molly Losh from the Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Northwestern studied over 3,700 same-sex twin sets from the Child and Adolescent Twin Study of Sweden (CATSS). She found that heavier twins had a lower risk of developing certain birth defects like ASD; for every 100 grams, the child’s risk of developing ASD decreased by 13 percent.
This research is significant, because medical professionals have long considered autism a genetic disorder. Losh’s research, however, indicates that environmental factors may play a larger role in the development of ASD than scientists previously thought. Often, one of the twins would develop ASD and the other would not; considering that many of these twins share the same genes, Losh reasoned that other factors must have influenced the development of the disorder.
She also found that different weight subsets exhibited different symptoms. Autistic twins with the lowest birth weights were more likely to display language or social impairments as opposed to repetitive movements like tapping.
ASD is a disorder that affects one percent of the population. ASD is a developmental disability that can affect how a person communicates and socializes. Many cases exhibit a proclivity towards routine, schedules, order and repetition.
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