First-born Kids of Older Parents More Likely to Be Autistic

In the study, researchers found that first-born children of older parents were three times more likely to develop autism than later children of younger parents.

The increase in autism risk with both maternal and paternal age has potential implications for public health planning and investigations of autism.

The study revealed that for mothers aged 35 or over, the risk of having an autistic child was 30 per cent higher than for mothers aged 25 to 29.

Mothers under 20 had a 30 per cent lower risk than those aged 35 to 29. Fathers aged 40 or over had a 40 per cent higher risk of having an autistic child than fathers aged 25 to 29.

However, there is no clear explanation for why parental age increases the risk of having an autistic child.