This is a question I see pop up periodically on many of the online forums I am a part of, usually because a parent just found out that they are pregnant, or they are talking about having another child.
Typically the question starts off with “My child (usually between 4 and 6) is on the spectrum, and now I notice similar behaviors in my 2 to 3 year old? Are they also on the spectrum?”
Well, that’s a really tough question to answer. Reality is a little complicated, but let me break it down for you.
Our Personal Experience
In our own lives, I remember taking my newborn in for the diagnosis of our eldest son. Beyond all of the emotions that go with having your first child diagnosed I was left wondering if the newborn sleeping beside me in his carrier was also going to be on the spectrum or not.
There was a lot that they didn’t know about autism at the time, and the professionals in the room couldn’t/wouldn’t tell us. They were focused on the test results of my eldest, and I wasn’t in any position to hear the truth.
The Genetic Component
We now know that there is a genetic component to autism. We still don’t fully understand it, as there are several potential gene sequences that are found in those diagnosed with autism. We know that if a child is born with autism, then a sibling will have a greater chance of having it. However, it’s not a guarantee, not by any stretch of the imagination.
As of right now, there is about a 2.5% chance of any given child being diagnosed on the spectrum. (Info from the CDC) If they have a sibling on the spectrum, that goes up to approximately 20%. (Info from Autism Speaks) That still means there is a 80% chance that they won’t. There are even cases of twins where one is on the spectrum and one isn’t.
A few years ago, this number was believed to be lower, around 10%. However, with additional testing occurring now, the percentages have crept up, just like how when our eldest was diagnosed, it was 1 in 110 children, and it moved to 1 in 36 recently.
If you have two children on the spectrum, the odds of the third, or more children being on the spectrum goes up to 33%. However, this is still less than 50/50.
Note: This percentage of increased change of autism is only if both children have the same biological parents. If they have a parent that is different, this number resets itself.
Mimicking Behaviors
Often when I see a question like this, there will be a photo of a child lining up their toys, or a discussion about their behavior and how it is like their older sibling. However, you need to remember that most young children learn by mimicking what they see regularly.
That is, repeating the behaviors that they see others like them doing. So if their sibling stems, they may repeat that behavior thinking that’s how they are supposed to behave as well. Or they will line up their blocks instead of playing with them “normally”, because that’s what their big brother or sister does.
Therefore, if possible, try to integrate them with other children their age. Let them parallel play, and play together. You won’t see the behavior change overnight, but it might.
Our middle son wasn’t talking but a few words when he was about four years old. With a mostly non-verbal older brother and older cousin, he didn’t realize children were allowed to talk.
Once we got him into a Pre-K program, he opened up and was talking within about 6 months, and within a year he was almost fully caught up to an appropriate age level of verbal communication. My wife and I talked around him all the time, but he thought it was only for big people, not little ones because he didn’t see it elsewhere.
But What If…
Even with a 80% chance of them being neurotypical, there is always a chance that they will also be on the spectrum. If you don’t see changes, they start to exhibit other issues such as sensory issues, or other things that lead you to think that they may be on the spectrum, then it never hurts to have them evaluated.
If they come back as being on the spectrum, then you work with them in that manner. If not, then you work with them in an appropriate manner as well. The end goal should be to allow you to help and provide the best environment you can for your children.
