Misdiagnosis of Underlying Causes of Autism
| About underlying conditions: With a diagnosis of Autism, it is important to consider whether there is an underlying condition causing Autism. These are other medical conditions that may possibly cause Autism. For general information on this form of misdiagnosis, see Underlying Condition Misdiagnosis or Overview of Misdiagnosis |
Underlying conditions list: The list of possible underlying conditions mentioned in various sources for Autism includes:
- Rett syndrome
- Fragile X syndrome - found in about 10% of autism cases.
- Tuberous sclerosis - about 25% of autistics.
- Phenylketonuria
- Congenital rubella
Underlying conditions discussion: In a minority of cases, disorders such as fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, untreated phenylketonuria (PKU), and congenital rubella cause autistic behavior. Other disorders, including Tourette syndrome, learning disabilities, and attention deficit disorder, often occur with autism but do not cause it. While people with schizophrenia may show some autistic-like behavior, their symptoms usually do not appear until the late teens or early adulthood. Most people with schizophrenia also have hallucinations and delusions, which are not found in autism. 1
One disorder, Fragile X syndrome, has been found in about 10 percent of people with autism, mostly males. This inherited disorder is named for a defective piece of the X-chromosome that appears pinched and fragile when seen under a microscope.
People who inherit this faulty bit of genetic code are more likely to
have mental retardation and many of the same symptoms as autism along with
unusual physical features that are not typical of autism.
2
Footnotes:
1. excerpt from Autism Fact Sheet: NINDS
2. excerpt from Autism: NIMH
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