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What are metabolic disorders, and are they related to Autism in anyway?

Metabolic disorders_ASD_Autism

Disorders of the body where the bodily processes fail to effectively utilize and convert components of food into usable energy are termed as metabolic disorders.

If these metabolic disorders are congenital (from birth due to genetic abnormalities) they create challenges during the new born period. Many of them are diagnosed early in life. If not attended to early on these metabolic syndromes can impact the brain development by prompting frequent seizures and neurological disability. The presentation of metabolic disorders is very different from Autism. Autism is also a disorder of brain development. But that has nothing to do with metabolic disorders. Autism and metabolic disorders are not related to one another.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this guide is for information purposes only. Please consult a qualified health practitioner for safe management.

If you have questions about Autism, Down Syndrome, ADHD, or other intellectual disabilities, or have concerns about developmental delays in a child, the Nayi Disha team is here to help. For any questions or queries, please contact our FREE Helpline at 844-844-8996. You can call or what’s app us. Our counselors speak different languages including English, Hindi, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, and Bengali.

What is mitochondrial dysfunction, and is there a correlation with Autism incidence?

MitochondrialDisorder_Autism_CauseOfAutism_ASD

Mitochondria are the most important little engines in our body that are controllers of energy metabolism, aptly termed as powerhouses of each body cell.

Problems encountered in the way the mitochondria function can cause problems in the body. Individuals who have mitochondrial disorders are not widespread across human population.  It is observed in a much smaller subset of the population, unlike Autism. Hence, mitochondrial dysfunction cannot be termed a co-morbidity. The correlation between mitochondrial dysfunction and Autism came from the assessment of one case where the child had both mitochondrial dysfunction and Autism. This one instance cannot be extrapolated as a cause for Autism. Unless research shows a clear genetic link where a gene defect associated with mitochondrial dysfunction is also linked to the onset of Autism, it cannot be correlated. Hence, mitochondrial dysfunction isn’t a cause for Autism from what is scientifically known today.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this guide is for information purposes only. Please consult a qualified health practitioner for safe management.

If you have questions about Autism, Down Syndrome, ADHD, or other intellectual disabilities, or have concerns about developmental delays in a child, the Nayi Disha team is here to help. For any questions or queries, please contact our FREE Helpline at 844-844-8996. You can call or what’s app us. Our counselors speak different languages including English, Hindi, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, and Bengali.

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