How Do You Get Autism? Causes, Myths & Early Signs Explained

How do you get autism? You don’t catch it, and you don’t develop it later in life. Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental difference that people are born with, shaped mostly by genetics and by how the brain develops before birth. Parenting, vaccines and screen time do not cause it.

Wondering how do you get Autism Spectrum Disorder? You might be asking for a few reasons. You may have noticed some autistic traits in your child, such as differences in how they play or communicate, or a loss of skills they used to have. Maybe a preschool teacher has mentioned that your child prefers to play alone and doesn’t often join in with other kids or teachers. Or perhaps autism runs in your family and you’re wondering what it might mean before starting a family of your own.

If any of these sound familiar, you probably have lots of questions. Is my child autistic? How is autism diagnosed? What causes autism?

Fig 1: 7 year old little Joerge’s note to his airline co-passengers

Explaining Autism Spectrum Disorder

So what is Autism? Autism Spectrum Disorder is a lifelong neurodevelopmental difference that affects how a person communicates, interacts with others and experiences the world, along with repetitive behaviors and deep interests. Because autism covers such a wide spectrum, it can’t be confirmed with a single medical test. Instead, it’s diagnosed through a series of assessments. In the past, autism was split into several types of autism, including Classic Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome and PDD-NOS (Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and Rett Syndrome were also once grouped with them). Today these are mostly brought together under one diagnosis, Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism meaning

In simple terms, the autism meaning is a natural difference in how the brain develops and works. Autistic people may communicate, socialize, learn and process sensory information differently, and many have real strengths, such as attention to detail, honesty and deep knowledge of their interests. Autism isn’t an illness, and it isn’t caused by anything a parent did.

How do you get Autism?

Autism is not something you “catch” or get from an outside cause. It’s a neurodevelopmental difference a person is born with, mainly shaped by genetics and early brain development before birth. Scientists have found that certain differences in brain development and inherited genes play a key role in autism. There is no evidence that parenting, vaccines or everyday environment cause autism.

Many people ask, ‘Is autism a psychological disorder?’ While autism affects behavior and social interaction, it is a neurodevelopmental difference, not a mental illness.

Check out some of these stats below to understand how common autism is, and why autism diagnoses have increased:

Fig 2: Autism Fact Sheet, showing the rise in autism diagnoses over the years

Diagnoses have risen mainly because of wider diagnostic criteria, greater awareness and better recognition of autism in girls and adults, not because autism itself has suddenly become more common.

This is what Sue, a social scientist from a reputed university in Texas, had to say about how do you get autism: “To look at it in simple terms, autism is like arthritis. Arthritis grows as the joints decompose over our lifetime causing inflammation that leads to pain as we advance in age. Just as you don’t suddenly get arthritis, similarly you don’t just get Autism one fine morning. It has most likely been existing for a while, but signs of autism would only emerge with age. The only difference here being that arthritis symptoms grow over the lifetime of a person while most Autism symptoms (primarily for classical autism) are usually pretty evident by the time a child is 6 to 8 years old”

Sue’s point is that autism is present long before it’s noticed. Unlike arthritis, though, autism isn’t a disease that gets worse with age. It’s a lifelong way of being, and many autistic signs can be seen well before age 6, often by age 2 or 3.

Researchers have also studied whether complications during pregnancy or birth may play a part in how the brain develops in early infancy. The developing brain is constantly adapting, and differences in early brain development seem to be central to autism.

Fig 3: Excess impulses in Autistic brain

Some studies have found differences in the electrical activity of autistic and non-autistic brains. Take a look at the following brain maps:

Fig 4: Involvement of the excess electrical simulators in Autistic brain

Fig 5: Level of Electrical Activity

Fig 6: Heatmap of Brain Activity

Young children’s brains are especially adaptable, which is one reason early support helps. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends regular developmental check-ups for all children, so that any possible autism diagnosis can be picked up early and the right support put in place. Whether a doctor, parent or teacher notices a developmental delay or a loss of skills, it’s important to see a specialist for an assessment (see How is Autism Diagnosed) and start autism treatment and support early, when it can help most.

What Causes Autism?

Understanding what is known about the causes of autism can help answer how do you get autism, and why do you get autism in the first place:

Fig 7: A quick look at the Etiology of Autism

1. Genetic Causes

Fig 8: The Human DNA

Fig 9: The Genetic Predisposition to Autism

Fig 10: Overlap of Genes and Env

Genetics are the biggest known factor in Autism Spectrum Disorder, especially when autism runs in your immediate family. For more on the role of heredity, see our article Is Autism Genetic.

Some research also suggests that new (de novo) genetic changes linked to autism more often come from the father’s side.

2. Environmental Factors during Pregnancy

Some factors during pregnancy, especially in the first two trimesters, have been linked to a higher chance of autism:

• Infections such as German measles (rubella) during pregnancy, which can affect the baby’s brain development. Rubella vaccination before pregnancy protects against this.
• Some medications, such as valproic acid (sodium valproate, used for epilepsy and as a mood stabilizer) and thalidomide.

Depression during pregnancy is common. If you take antidepressants, don’t stop them suddenly. Talk to your GP or obstetrician about the risks and benefits of your medication for you and your baby, during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Untreated depression also carries risks, so this is a decision to make together with your doctor.

3. Age Factors

Fig 11: Mean Probability of ASD With Parent’s Age

Studies have shown that the chance of a child being autistic increases slightly as parents get older, particularly fathers. The overall chance is still small, and the effect may be stronger when autism already runs in the family.

4. Gender Dependencies

Fig 13: Autism in Boys Vs Girls

Does gender affect how do you get autism? Not directly. But boys are diagnosed with autism about three to four times more often than girls. Part of this is because autism often looks different in girls, who are more likely to mask their traits and be missed or diagnosed later. Researchers are still exploring whether biological differences also play a part.

5. Unexpected Situations during Childbirth

Some studies have found a small association between certain birth complications and autism. These are things no parent can control.

• Lack of oxygen during birth, which can affect the baby’s developing brain.
• Premature birth. Babies born very early have a higher chance of autism, although the reasons aren’t yet clear.

Note that these links are associations, not proven causes, and researchers are still studying them.

How Does Autism Happen? How Much Do We Know?

In many cases, there’s no single cause that explains how someone got autism, and in as many as 85% of autism cases no specific cause is found. So how does one get autism? The best answer is that autism usually happens through a combination of many genes, each with a small effect, together with influences on brain development before birth. Here is what medical professionals have to say about how do you get autism:

Common Questions About How People Get Autism

Can you catch autism?

No. You can’t catch autism from another person, and it doesn’t spread like an infection. It’s present from before birth.

Can you develop autism later in life?

Not in the sense of becoming autistic. People don’t develop autism as teenagers or adults, but many aren’t diagnosed until later, especially if they mask their traits. So if you’re wondering how do you develop autism or how do you become autistic, the answer is that autistic people are born autistic, even if it’s recognized much later.

How do kids get autism?

How do kids get autism, and how do people get autism in general? Mostly through genetics, together with factors that affect brain development before birth. Nothing a parent does after birth, such as parenting style, screen time or vaccines, causes autism. So if you’re asking how does someone get autism, or “autism how do you get it?”, the short answer is: it’s part of how their brain developed from the start.

FAQs

Conclusion

Autism isn’t something you catch. It’s part of how a child’s brain is built. Some kids show signs early, some later, and each child is different. Learning about autism, spotting signs early and getting the right support can make a big difference. Understanding autism isn’t just about science. It’s about helping every child shine in their own way.

Ash Bhattacharya

I am Ash and I celebrate Neurodiversity! Growing up with an elder brother with severe Autism was tough – but it has also taught me essential life lessons. I don’t believe that people with Autism are necessarily or have any disorder (except in extreme cases). They are just different! And that is something to be proud of! I am passionate about helping other families who may have Autism conditions in their family. So please reach out and drop me a note. I will be glad to help 🙂