Large study confirms: Siblings of autistic children have 20% chance of autism.

A new study conducted by the UC Davis MIND Institute and the Baby Siblings Research Consortium has found that siblings of autistic children have a 20% chance of being autistic themselves, which is seven times higher than the rate in infants with no autistic siblings. The study, which included a large and diverse group of families from research sites in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, confirms previous findings from 2011. The study also found that the sex of the first autistic child, the number of autistic siblings, race, and maternal education level were factors that influenced the likelihood of autism recurrence within a family. These findings may indicate social determinants of health that contribute to higher rates of autism in certain families. It is important for healthcare providers to closely monitor the siblings of autistic children for developmental delays and provide early intervention. [Extracted from the article]