Air pollution may up autism risk in children: Study
BEIJING: Exposure to sources of outdoor pollution such as vehicle exhausts, and industrial emissions can increase a child's risk of developing autism spectrum disorder by up to 78 per cent, a study has warned.
The research followed children in Shanghai from birth to three years to understand the effect of exposure to fine particles (PM2.5).
The study included 124 ASD children and 1,240 healthy children in stages over a nine-year period, examining the association between air pollution and ASD.
The study, published in the journal Environment International, is first to examine the effects of long-term exposure of air pollution on ASD during the early life of children in a developing country, adding to previous studies that have already linked prenatal air pollution exposure to ASD in children.
The research followed children in Shanghai from birth to three years to understand the effect of exposure to fine particles (PM2.5).
The study included 124 ASD children and 1,240 healthy children in stages over a nine-year period, examining the association between air pollution and ASD.
The study, published in the journal Environment International, is first to examine the effects of long-term exposure of air pollution on ASD during the early life of children in a developing country, adding to previous studies that have already linked prenatal air pollution exposure to ASD in children.
"The causes of autism are complex and not fully understood, but environmental factors are increasingly recognised in addition to genetic and other factors," said Zhiling Guo, from Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The smaller the airborne particles, the more capable they are of penetrating the lungs and entering the bloodstream causing a range of serious health conditions.
PM1 is the smallest in particle size but few studies have been done on PM1 globally and agencies are yet to set safety standards for it.
PM1 is the smallest in particle size but few studies have been done on PM1 globally and agencies are yet to set safety standards for it.
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