Parents' Occupational Exposure Tied to Offspring's Autism Severity
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Aug. 18, 2025 -- Several classes of parental occupational exposures are associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) severity and several behavioral subscales, according to a study published in the July issue of the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health.
Erin C. McCanlies, Ph.D., from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Morgantown, West Virginia, and colleagues assessed whether parental occupational exposures affect autism severity risk. Analysis included 532 parents and their children participating in the Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment study.
The researchers found that parental occupational exposures to phenols, ethylene oxide, and plastics/polymers were associated with more severe ASD symptoms. Plastics/polymers were especially associated with multiple developmental and behavioral outcomes, including irritability, hyperactivity, poor receptive and visual language, and lower daily living skills. ASD behaviors were associated with several parental occupational exposures (e.g., anesthetic gases, disinfectants, and pharmaceuticals).
"Our findings suggest that parental exposure to certain workplace chemicals during key fetal development periods may influence not just autism likelihood, but also severity and functioning outcomes for children with autism," McCanlies said in a statement.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted August 2025
Read this next
COVID-19 Infection Linked to Accelerated Vascular Aging
MONDAY, Aug. 18, 2025 -- COVID-19 is associated with early vascular aging, as assessed by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), an established biomarker of large artery...
Rate of Sexual Dysfunction Similar in Middle-Aged, Older Women
MONDAY, Aug. 18, 2025 -- Older women experience female sexual dysfunction (FSD) at similar rates as midlife women but report less sexual distress, according to a study published...
Historically Redlined Neighborhoods Face Lack of Rapid Access to EMS
MONDAY, Aug. 18, 2025 -- Living in historically redlined areas is associated with a lack of rapid access to emergency medical services (EMS), according to a study published online...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.