It"s the first question parents ask when their child is diagnosed with
autism
(自闭症). Will his future brothers or sisters have a higher risk of
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it, too
According to the largest study of
siblings
(兄弟姐妹) in families with autism, the answer is yes. Among 664 children who had at least one older sibling with the developmental disorder, the
32
risk of autism was nearly 19%,
33
higher than previous sibling-recurrence estimates that were anywhere from 3% to 10%. Kids with more than one older autistic sibling had an even higher risk of the disorder: 32%.
The
34
suggest that genes play a key role in autism risk. But they also hint that other environmental factors
35
by siblings, like influences in the
womb
(宫), may be important as well.
On the
36
of the findings, the researchers recommend that doctors closely
37
younger siblings of autistic children to pick up any early signs of the disorder,
38
an unusually large head or delayed language development and communication skills. Evidence suggests that early
39
and diagnosis of autism can help children take advantage of therapies that can treat some of its
40
.
A. average B. basis C. common D. consequently
E. detection F. developing G. distributed H. dramatically
I. including J. monitor K. reason L. results
M. shared N. symbols O. symptoms