Low birthweight 'linked to autism', says US study

[xchrom]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15305214

Babies born weighing less than 4lb (1.8kg) could be more prone to developing autism than children born at normal weight, a study suggests.

Writing in Pediatrics journal, US researchers followed 862 New Jersey children born at a low birthweight from birth to the age of 21.

Some 5% were diagnosed with autism, compared to 1% of the general population.

But experts say more research is needed to confirm and understand the link.

[kickysnana]

1. This has to be false equivalency

because boomers' mothers routinely smoked and drank during pregnancy resulting in lower average birth weights.

[d_r]

2. yeah some thing else could cause both

[laconicsax]

3. I recall reading a book which included a link between high birth weight and autism. n/t

[LeftishBrit]

4. It's already known that very premature babies are more likely to develop autism

And that if only one of a pair of twins is autistic, the autistic twin is likely to be of lower birthweight and/or have more perinatal problems.

As pointed out, the direction of causation is not always clear, but more study of prenatal factors of autism is important.

[SheilaT]

5. My autistic child was born

the day after his official due date, and weighed in at 7 pounds 12 ounces.

What I find very frustrating about such studies, is that there are a lot of outliers.