Environmental Risks: Can Pesticides or Pollution Cause Autism?

Thanks to recent research and studies, much more is known today about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than even 20 years ago. That has led to many great advancements in the diagnosis of autism, as well as the different treatment methods that are available.

At the same time, there’s still a lot that we don’t know about what causes autism. Some links have been made between risk factors such as maternal health, genetics and premature births, but there is still plenty of research that needs to be done to shed further light on the topic.

Some studies have suggested that there are some environmental factors that could also play a role in the autism risk factor. This includes a pregnant mother’s exposure to pesticides and pollution.

We’ll dive into this topic further below.

Learn more about family history and how it might increase autism risks

Table Of Contents

Is Air Pollution a Risk Factor for Autism?

Researchers have found that one potential risk factor for autism is a person’s exposure to air pollution early in their life.

The study found that children born to mothers who lived close to traffic-related pollution (such as near a highway) in their third trimester were twice as likely to be diagnosed with autism. For the purposes of the study, the researchers considered a distance of about 3.5 football fields to be “near a freeway.”

Children who also had a gene mutation known as MET along with this air pollution exposure were at an even increased risk of developing ASD.

Are Other Contaminants Also a Concern?

Many other studies have suggested that other contaminants could play a role in increasing the risk for a child developing autism. This includes exposure to heavy metals such as arsenic, lead and mercury either at a young age or prenatal, as well as exposure to pesticides.

One study, for example, found that children with autism had lower levels of essential metals such as zinc and manganese but higher levels of harmful metals such as lead compared to children who don’t have autism.

Other research discovered that mothers who were exposed to certain pesticides and insecticides during the early stages of their pregnancy were more at risk of having children with autism.

A 2019 study conducted by an associate professor at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health compared data about spraying for pesticides in California to registry data for autism in the state.

Their findings, which were published in The BMJ, concluded that women who lived in a place that was within a 2,000-meter radius of a “highly-sprayed area” had a risk factor of their children developing autism that was between 10% and 16% higher than those who lived in places outside that radius.

The researchers also found that exposure to 11 different pesticides included in the study in a child’s first year of life increased their risk of developing autism by as much as 50% when compared to children not exposed to these certain pesticides.

In essence, what the research — which Ondine von Ehrenstein led — suggests is that babies are vulnerable to the potential neurotoxic effects that pesticides cause while they’re in utero and also in the early stages of their life after they’re born.

Does Exposure to Pesticides and Pollution Definitively Cause Autism?

The short and quick answer to this is, no. While the studies mentioned above — and many others like them — have uncovered potential links between exposure to pesticides and pollution and autism, neither are definitive causes of the neurodevelopmental disorder.

More research is needed before those conclusions can be made. In addition, it’s important to remember that there is no one “cause” of autism, as there could be many factors at play all at once.

At the same time, there’s no denying the fact that it’s important for pregnant mothers to avoid exposure to certain pesticides and pollution as much as possible. They can be harmful to the mother’s health, her unborn baby’s health and could increase the likelihood of the child developing autism.

What’s more, it seems to be equally important — according to some of these studies — that young children are also not exposed to pesticides or pollution, as they could have similar effects.

Blue Gems ABA Supports Children on the Autism Spectrum

While there isn’t a single cause of autism, some studies have found a link between exposure to certain pesticides or pollution and an increased risk of developing ASD. That’s why it’s important for pregnant mothers to avoid this type of exposure, and to keep their young children away from it as well.

At Blue Gems ABA, we help to support children on the autism spectrum by administering applied behavioral analysis on a one-to-one basis. ABA therapy, as it’s also referred to, is considered the gold standard treatment for people with autism.

Our team of experienced and dedicated BCBAs create customized ABA therapy treatment plans for each patient that cater specifically to their unique strengths and challenges. In this way, we’re best able to help them build the social, communication and daily life skills with which they commonly struggle.

To learn more, please contact us today.