Is autism preventable in certain cases after all?
The Boston Globe • • health
Key Points:
- Recent studies propose that over half of autism cases might be preventable through interventions addressing genetic susceptibility, environmental exposures, and prolonged physiological stress, introducing a "three-hit" theory of autism development.
- Research indicates parents with heightened chemical intolerance are significantly more likely to have children with autism, prompting calls for minimizing environmental exposures before conception, though these findings are correlational and not yet conclusive.
- The emerging focus on preconception health, popularized by wellness influencers and some medical advocates, encourages lifestyle and environmental changes before pregnancy, but experts caution that evidence remains preliminary and warn against causing undue fear.
- Some scientists, like Robert Naviaux, suggest autism may be a metabolic and inflammatory syndrome influenced by chronic cellular stress, advocating for early identification of susceptible
