Autism May Be Linked to Autoimmune Disease
July 13, 2009 by Cherie Burbach
Filed under Women's Health
Researchers have discovered that children who get autism often have a family history of autoimmune disease, such as Type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. Autoimmune disease occurs when antibodies attack the body, rather than the infections in the body.
While this new information is another piece of the puzzle, it doesn’t define the causes of autism. However, medical professionals speculate that “it’s possible babies are affected by their mother’s antibodies while in the womb.”
As a Type 1 diabetic myself, I can’t help but wonder whether this information could also add to that of diabetic research. After all, if it’s possible that babies are indeed affected by the antibodies in their mother’s womb, couldn’t that be a cause of Type 1 diabetes in some people as well?
Image: sxc.hu
