Birth trauma and kids with Asperger's

Post Reply New Topic

Parents: Did any of your Aspie children experience birth trauma? Could this be a cause or is it always inherited?

I have Asperger's myself, my mother was three weeks late when I came. She had some issues with hypertension. Myself when my autistic son was born, he was born by emergency c-section due to issues with induction. We also have a family history of individuals on the spectrum so honestly I'm learning more towards our genetics at least in my family.

I apparently experienced birth trauma (I was diagnosed with celebral palsy, with some suspicion that I might have another disorder, but made what seems to have been a total recovery). I was never formally diagnosed with an ASD myself, but I recall reading somewhere that there does appear to be some link between birth trauma and autism - that having birth trauma increases the likelihood of regressing and developing autism somewhat later on, or something.

I don't think that all autistic or AS people have had a birth trauma, though. There is no evidence of it in many cases of autism, and the fact that the parents of autistic children very often show prominent autistic-like traits seems to be more in favor of the genetic theory.

Last edited by ixochiyo_yohuallan on 09 Oct 2007, 2:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

My mother went through 48 hour labor with me before my head finally started coming out. I got stuck during delivery and then I pooped in her uterous and it got me very sick. I dunno why. So I was in the hospital for five days before I finally came home. I even almost died too.

I definitely didn't think that all spectrum people have had birth trauma. I'm leaning much more toward the genetic explanation. I'm just trying to figure out if I have it or not (I'm kind of thinking so, although my wife isn't so sure) and if I passed it on to my son. I experienced no birth trauma, but my son needed an emergency c-section and wasn't breathing and didn't have a heartbeat when he came out. They revived him but he was without oxygen for a minute or two. Now, at six, he's an extremely gifted child but is definitely an Aspie (we're working on the diagnosis). So now I'm wondering if I'm an Aspie as well (I scored 137 on the Aspie quiz: "most likely as Aspie") and if I'm the source. Perhaps I should just stop thinking about all of this and just make sure our son gets what he needs. Aaaaargh!

Hi all,

My first post ! !

I had an awful labour with AS daughter (5) 26 hour labour, 2 failed ventose attempts, she was finally delivered by forceps, she wasnt breathing and had to be revived, she spent 6 days on ITU.

I personally feel that her traumatic delivery had alot to do with her AS, as we have no gentic links in either my my family or Hubbys as far as we are aware of.

I did have preclampsia at the end of my pregnancy and had to be induced, our son was suctioned out because he got stuck at the end, but we were never given our apgar score, so I don't know if he had birth trauma or not. He seemed fine in the hospital, although within the first year I started to notice little things that are normal for a newborn but not for an older baby.

I do feel ours is genetic. All kinds of sensory issues run rampant in both sides of the family. Plus my husband says he had almost the exact kind of delays that my son has now. It would be too much of a coincidence if he was the only one of 5 kids who had a similar birth experience as his own child.

I was a "blue baby" (their words, not mine). I sometimes suspect it influenced my AS.

Our family has 4 living generations... AS traits in each. One birth trauma. One not. Others unknown.

I wouldn't assume pure genetics, although a genetic inclination could open opportunity to other variables (birth trauma, prenatal stress, alcohol syndrome, exposure to toxins, poor nutrition, hormonal variances, ect.)

I think we are all a compilation of individual histories…but it would be interesting statistic…good topic.

I have AS and all I know about my birth is that I weighed 12lbs 2 oz and cracked my mother's pelvic bone... so far out of my 5 kids I have one semi diagnosed with pdd-nos and she had nuchial cord X2 (umbilical cord around her neck) which caused decelerations in her heartrate and neccessitated the need for O2 supplementation for a few minutes after birth.
I see traits already in one of my twins, another girl she was born via c-section prematurely (though by only 4 weeks)

I'm adopted so I know little of my birth and nothing of my family medical history. I did experience birth trauma due to a paralyzed vocal chord, that was mistaken for a lung problem. My diaphragm was inverted and I sounded as if I couldn't breathe. I don't know if I was blue or not. I was baptised and probably given last rites.

I had hypertension when pregnant (PIH) and a severe allergic reaction and my son was induced a few weeks early. He also got stuck. I blame the hard labor that was jumpstarted by breaking my water manually (ouch!) and then suddenly stopped with an epidural. When he was in the birth canal, his heart stopped for just a moment.
He was pink and all but didn't cry.

That's what our son was. That particular blue is the most ghastly blue in the world. And then when his little body pinked up after his heart started going again, it was one of the most amazing things I'll ever see. His first APGAR score was 1. His second was 2. Then he had a 7 for the third. So I'll always be wondering if this whole episode contributed to or caused his AS.

Yeah, my parents told me something along those same lines. I don't really like dwelling on it, though.

I was induced 4 days before my due date because of preeclampsia. My labor was pretty easy though, and my son's Apgar scores were 9 and 9. I think AS is genetic in our case too.

Nice llama.

Both of my kids were born naturally, no complications, easy births, no pain dugs, no injury, no trauma for any of us. They were both large, 9 and 10 pounds, respectively.

My labor was induced...and after 12+ hours, I ended up with a C-section because my kiddo was "stuck"...So there was a period of time that his blood pressure was down or something...hmmm...

I think it is genetic with other issues (toxins, allergies, possibly labor issues, etc. )making the symptoms worse...