Can Autism Spectrum Disorders be inherited?
The answer to this is definitely yes. Whilst older generations would not be diagnosed, if you have a child on the autistic spectrum, you often notice the traits in many other members of the family. When my son was diagnosed I realised that many of the social problems that my father and I had to deal with were due to ASD. However, once you understand it, it becomes easier to deal with.
Although most siblings of children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder develop normally, it has been estimated that between 2 – 7% of families with one child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder have two children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder or related difficulties (e.g. language disorder). It has been reported that the incidence of having two children may be as high as 9% but this figure relates to autism only. It has also been reported that there is a 2 – 3% chance of having a secondary relative (e.g. cousin) with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
