Genetic Errors and Autism

Introduction

In the case of autism, the likelihood that the sibling of an affected child also would be affected is between three and six percent. This number is small enough that family doctors probably would never see enough cases of two affected siblings in the same family to suspect a genetic influence.

Background theory

Unlike people who inherit Huntington disease, a genetic disease that does not strike until after the affected person has reached reproductive age, persons affected with autism are so socially disabled that they never marry and have children. Thus, researchers do not have the extended family ...