That children born to well-off homes are more vulnerable to autism has been a topic of curiosity and research among experts for decades. But a new study of around half a million American children, published this week in PLoS One, adds some startling concrete numbers to that aspect of the ongoing investigation into autism’s roots.
By comparing relevant census information (including education levels and income) to the CDC’s database of kids identified as suffering from autism or related health and behavioral problems, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison concluded that wealthier families and more affluent neighborhoods bore a significantly larger autism burden.
The potential causal association between family income and children’s autism, however, remains a mystery.
Full story: Does poverty fend off autism?
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