"The effects of parental occupational exposures on autism spectrum disorder severity and skills in cognitive and adaptive domains in children with autism spectrum disorder" https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S143846392...
The person leading this study, Erin C. McCanlies, was forced out of the CDC, her division eliminated and she went into early retirement from the CDC. https://www.psypost.org/scientist-who-linked-autism-to-chemi...
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"The findings suggest that workplace exposures to several specific chemical classes were associated with worse outcomes in children with ASD. One of the strongest and most consistent patterns involved plastics and polymer chemicals. Fathers’ exposure to plastics was associated with lower scores across all cognitive and adaptive skill domains, including language, motor coordination, daily living skills, and overall functioning. When both parents were exposed, the deficits appeared to compound.
“I was surprised how strongly and consistently plastics and polymers stood out as being linked with multiple developmental and behavioral outcomes including irritability, hyperactivity, and daily living,” McCanlies told PsyPost.
Exposure to ethylene oxide—commonly used in hospital sterilization—was also linked to more severe autism symptoms, lower expressive language abilities, and poorer adaptive functioning. Similarly, parental exposure to phenol (used in construction, automotive, and some consumer products) and pharmaceuticals was associated with increased ASD severity and more pronounced behavioral challenges, especially hyperactivity and stereotyped behavior.
While the results do not imply that all children exposed to these chemicals will develop more severe symptoms, the patterns suggest that early life exposure to workplace toxicants may amplify certain developmental difficulties in children who already meet criteria for ASD. The study provides one of the most detailed looks to date at how parental occupation may relate not just to diagnosis, but to variation in how autism is expressed.
“Our findings suggest that certain parental workplace exposures may be related not just to autism, but to worse symptoms and autism behaviors,” McCanlies explained."
https://news.ki.se/new-study-links-dopamine-to-autism-sympto...
From the study:
„ This suggests that increased Ca2+ levels can compensate for deficits in β2-nAChR function and restores DA release.“
Calcium plays an important role here: https://www.stridesaba.com/calciums-role-in-supporting-indiv...
Gut health isn’t mentioned in the article, so it seems like a good point to bring up.
Which painkillers? Do you have a citation for that? Note that ibuprofen is generally prohibited in pregnancy.
Here’s some additional information from another paper
> The gut microbiome has been implicated in the pathophysiological mechanisms of ADHD through the MGBA. Alterations in the MGBA contribute to neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, leading to ADHD core symptoms and associated comorbidities such as sleep disturbances. There is some evidence indicating maternal stress and the use of acetaminophen, which is a common pain reliever and fever reducer, may increase the risk of ADHD in offspring during pregnancy
"However, the association did not persist when using sibling controls, implying that this association is due to familial confounding by genetic and/or environmental factors." - https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/...
> Other factors that have been linked to autism include people being born prematurely or through cesarean section, as well as pregnant people having obesity, using certain medications (such as the antiseizure drug valproate) and the pain reliever acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) and being exposed to air pollution. The strength of the evidence for these links varies, though, and the increases in risk tend to be small. The evidence is also only correlational, meaning it can’t establish what caused what.
> Acetaminophen is also usually used as a fever reducer, which pregnant people might take if they are fighting an infection. Both infections and uncontrolled fevers during pregnancy have been linked to higher rates of autism. “We know that the neurodevelopmental outcomes of having an uncontrolled fever are worse than what we’re observing for acetaminophen,” Mandell says.
Not only that, but the effects measured in the present studies have never even considered varying titers in vaginal canals during births, at least as far as I know.
Science isn’t gospel, don’t treat it like so. The original comment is a hypothesis, but it's based on existing evidence.
Here's some information from another comment,