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Real members of MyAutismTeam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.

Birth Defects And Autism

A MyAutismTeam Member asked a question 💭
Pico Rivera, CA

Does anyone else out there have a child who was also born with a birth defect aside from being diagnosed with ASD? My daughter was born with a rare birth defect called Gastroschisis. She was born with all of her intestines, her bladder and ovaries on the outside of her body. Since there's all this research connecting ASD to the gut, I was curious if her defect could have a connection to her ASD. It's very uncommon for the two to have any correlation or it is not known. Any input would be… read more

March 27, 2018
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A MyAutismTeam Member

Ask her doctor if he can order genetic testing for her. Microarray is one of the latest method that can detect a lot more than the tests that were available a few years ago. Just requires a cheek swab or saliva. It will look at all her chromosomes and if there is any defective gene like deletion or duplication of genes. Sometimes if there is genetic defect, it can affect multiple genes that are close together but have different functions. For example, if a child has deletion of 10 genes, one of them could be associated with autism, another with obesity, seizure, intellectual disability etc etc .. in my opinion, every child or adult diagnosed with autism should do a genetic test every few years as the tests get better and better. I know people that had negative tests by older methods that got positive recently with the microarray. In 10 years I think it’ll detect even more. Apart from getting or confirming a diagnosis if possible, you could potentially find some gene affected that could predispose you to a certain disease that you could look out for. My daughter has gene deletions one of which is associated with autism, another predispose her to obesity and hormone functions so her pediatrician referred us to an endocrinologist who will do yearly tests to make sure we catch issues on time. She’s doing good currently. We’re watching her diet closely though.

March 31, 2018
A MyAutismTeam Member

Thank you so much @A MyAutismTeam Member 😄

April 3, 2018
A MyAutismTeam Member

Hi @A MyAutismTeam Member my daughter also gets stomach cramps some days they're super intense she bends over and her whole body tenses up. Sorry to hear your son has to deal with similar tummy issues. Thanks for messaging. My boyfriend and I don't know anybody who has a child with a birth defect along with their ASD it's super helpful to hear from other families in similar situations. Hope you and your family had a good Easter this past sunday!

April 2, 2018
A MyAutismTeam Member

My son was born with ASD and a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. They may be related but no one is sure. He has a lot of gut issues too, stomachaches, cramps, and sometimes vomiting.

April 1, 2018
A MyAutismTeam Member

Thank you @A MyAutismTeam Member and @A MyAutismTeam Member your responses were very helpful:)

April 1, 2018

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