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New research shows men who become fathers after age 40 are at an increased risk of having autistic children.
The number of autism diagnoses has increased in recent years, affecting an estimated 50 in every 10,000 children compared with five in 10,000 two decades ago. Experts say this is due in part to better diagnostic tools and an increased awareness of the disorder. Previous research has linked older parental age with brain abnormalities in children.
Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York examined data on more than 300,000 people and found the odds of having a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder were nearly six times greater for men over age 40.
The mother's age was not found to be associated with autism in this study.
