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Abstract Summary The word autism is used as a shortened term for the autistic syndromes. Autism is referred to as a severe neurodevelopmental disorder of children marked by severe difficulties in communication with other people, impairment of language, social interaction and abnormal behavior. This study has been conducted on 30 children with autism. All patients were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, psychiatric evaluation (IQ assessment, DSM-IV criteria, CARS), electroencephalogram, audiological assessment and genetic evaluation through high resolution karyotyping. We found that: I. Epidemiological: 1. Age of onset: Most of our patients condition started at 24-36 months, about 56.7% of cases manifested by delayed speech which is the most common symptom of autism. 2. SEX: Males are affected more than females as 76.7% of autistic patients were males and 23% were females. Consanguinity and positive family history of autism: Most of our patients were non consanguineous parents with negative family history of autism. Risk factors that may have role in autism: 1. Antenatal factors: Only one case had history of drug intake (progestin), two cases with Anti-D injection during pregnancy and two cases with history of diabetes mellitus. There was no history of STORCH infection or exposure to radiation. 2. Role of natal and postnatal factors as risk factor for autism: Sixteen cases were delivered by cesarean section, fourteen cases were delivered by normal vaginal delivery, seven cases had history of jaundice and four cases had history of respiratory distress. About 47% had no history of respiratory distress, no history of jaundice or respiratory resuscitation. So from our study, natal and postnatal factors had no role as a risk factor of autism 3. Motor development: Most of autistic children in our study had normal motor development. Seventy three percent with history of normal head support at 3-5 months, sitting at age of 6-8 months and normal walking at 12-15 months. So delayed motor milestones not specific feature of autistic children. 4. Nutrition as a risk factor for autism: Nineteen cases of our autistic patients were breast feeders and five cases had artificial feeding. So there is no evidence to approve that type of feeding is a risk factor for autism. 5. Vaccination and extra vaccination as a risk factor for autism: Most of our patients about 100% had taken MMR vaccine and 13.3% had taken extra vaccination in the form of meningitis vaccine. 6. Speech development: Fourteen cases of our autistic patients cannot say words although their audiological assessment were normal II. Psychometric evaluation: 1. IQ assessment ( intelligent quotient) Most of our patient about fifteen cases had mild mental retardation and one case with normal IQ. 2. CARS(childhood autism rating scale) Eleven cases of our patients had severe degree of autism (CARS=35-40) and ten cases had mild degree of autism (CARS=31-33). 3. EEG (electroencephalogram) Four cases of our autistic patients had history of EEG abnormalities in the form of epileptic focus. III. Genetic evaluation: High resolution karyotyping All results of our autistic patients were normal with no detectable chromosomal abnormalities. |