Children fathered by men at age 40 and older have a higher risk of developing autism, possibly because of mutations or other genetic changes, researchers reported on Monday.
The study "provides the first convincing evidence that advanced paternal age is a risk factor for autism spectrum disorder," said the authors from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, and the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London.
Israel during the 1980s. All males and three-fourths of the females born in the time period involved were checked by Israeli draft officials at age 17 and any psychiatric disorders were recorded.
"Offspring of men 40 years or older were 5.75 times more likely to have (autism disorders) compared with offspring of men younger than 30 years," said the study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
"Advancing maternal age showed no association," it added.
As if I don't feel bad enough all ready about my Boy's autism, they have to throw this at me. Just make me feel more guilty about it. Damn.
Life at its noblest leaves mere happiness far behind; and indeed cannnot endure it.... Happiness is not the object of life: life has no object: it is an end in itself; and courage consists in the readiness to sacrifice happiness for an intenser quality of life. George Bernard Shaw
