Writing on Truth Social, President Trump expressed shock at the fact that the current prevalence rate of autism in the U.S. stood at one in thirty-four kids. This is in contrast to the 1 in 1000 kids two decades ago, according to the figures he cited. Why is the prevalence escalating so fast?
While it has been suggested that the surge in ASD cases may be due to increased awareness about the condition and improved diagnostics, others point to additional factors that could be causing the uptick in autism cases.
Some research posits that increasing chemical contaminants in water and food, as well as rising levels of pollution may be linked to the surge in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) cases. This is because these environmental factors allow toxins to enter the bloodstream of expectant mothers. From there, the toxins make their way into fetuses’ brains, thereby triggering inflammation. that impedes nerve signal function. As a result, autism may develop in that child.
One review conducted in 2023 found that individuals who are predisposed to developing autism, such as a person whose parent has the condition, had higher chances of going on to develop autism if they got exposed to pollutants as kids. The review found that other kids who were similarly predisposed but didn’t have exposure to pollutants were less likely to be diagnosed with autism. This makes a strong case for increased pollution being a factor in the surging cases of autism.
A study done by Harvard University also confirms pollution as a contributor to cases of autism. In that study, it was found that early exposure to particulate matter and other forms of air pollution increased autism risk by up to 64%.
Other experts suggest that the increasing use of pesticides could also be contributing to higher autism rates. These chemicals are thought to cause developmental delays in children and also result in lower IQs.
It has also been suggested that the likelihood of a premature baby surviving is higher today than was the case decades ago. As more premature babies survive, autism and developmental delays increase in this population.
Another possible factor that has been raised and merits further study is the impact of more American women having kids when a lot older than women of previous generations did. The older a woman is, the experts suggest, the higher the chance that the child could be born with issues like autism and other abnormalities.
From the above, it is clear that environmental factors could be playing a big part in the rising prevalence of autism not just in the U.S. but around the world. Many entities, such as PaxMedica Inc. (OTC: PXMD), are investing considerable resources in a bid to develop treatments that can offer better clinical outcomes to the growing number of people diagnosed with autism.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to PaxMedica Inc. (OTC: PXMD) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/PXMD
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