New research, published in The American Journal of Psychiatry, has found “the first clear link” between babies who grow to above average size and birth and the risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Following a study of more than 40,000 children’s health records in Sweden, a team of researchers from The University of Manchester, confirmed what earlier research concluded: that premature and poorly grown, low weight babies appear more susceptible to the condition.

Professor Kathryn Abel, from the University of Manchester’s Centre for Women’s Mental Health and Institute of Brain, Behaviour and Mental Health, who led the research said, “The processes that leads to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) probably begin during fetal life; signs of the disorder can occur as early as three years of age. Fetal growth is influenced by genetic and non-genetic factors. A detailed understanding of how fetal growth is controlled and the ways in which it is associated with ASD are therefore important if we are to advance the search for cures.”

Researchers involved in the study believe that the Autism Spectrum Disorder has origins in both genetic and environmental causes. For the study, researchers looked at the data collected by the Stockholm Youth Cohort in Sweden, where early ultrasound data provides detailed weights of a baby’s progression in pregnancies. Following their birth, infants and children also take part in a structured clinical assessment of their social, language, motor and cognitive abilities.

The cohort contained records of 589,114 children ages 0-17 in Sweden between 2001 and 2007. Certain data was not necessary to the study and was removed: children too young for an ASD diagnosis, adopted children and non-Sweish or Stockholm residents, children not born in Sweden and twins. From the data that remained, researchers found 4,237 young people with autism and 36,588 children who did not have the condition. These children acted as the control group.

From the study, researchers found that bigger babies born weighing over 9 lbs. 14 oz. showed a higher incidence of autism, as did smaller infants born weighing less than 5.5 lbs. A baby who had poor fetal growth during pregnancy would have a 63% greater risk of developing autism compared to “normally” growing babies and a baby who was larger at birth would have a 60% greater risk than “normally” growing babies. This effect, researchers found, was independent of whether or not the baby was born pre- or post-term.

Abel said, “To our knowledge, this is the first large prospective population-based study to describe the association between the degree of deviance in fetal growth from the normal average in a population of children and risk of ASD with and without intellectual disability. We have shown for the first time categorically that abnormal fetal growth in both directions increases risk of autism spectrum disorder.” Adding that she and her team of researchers “think that this increase in risk associated with extreme abnormal growth of the fetus shows that something is going wrong during development, possibly with the function of the placenta.”

“Anything which encourages abnormalities of development and growth is likely to also affect development of the baby’s brain,” Abel said of the research, noting that the “risk appeared particularly high in those babies where they were growing poorly and continued in utero until after 40 weeks. This may be because these infants were exposed the longest to unhealthy conditions within the mother’s womb.”

But just because babies may grow in utero at different rates compared to “normally developing” fetuses, it does not mean they will be diagnosed with the Autism Spectrum Disorder. What the research finds is that these growth differences are linked with more instances of of the condition. More than anything, the research is intended to raise awareness and work closer to finding a cure than it is to label below or above average birth weight babies with the autism diagnosis. Abel is the first to recognize that because a link appears it does not rule out the need for further research to explain the how and why‘s that so many parents and researchers have.

She said, “We now need more research into fetal growth, how it is controlled by the placenta and how this affects how the brain develops,” noting that one key place to start researching is, “maternal condition and healthy growth.”

Do you think baby’s birth weight could be a factor that leads to the ASD diagnosis?

Plus, more from The Bump:

New Study on Baby Vaccinations May Ease Parents’ Concerns About Autism

Autism: What Every Parent Needs to Know

Is This the Earliest Sign of Autism?

A new study published in the journal JAMA Neurology concluded that newborn babies’ immune systems and vitamin D levels differ depending on which month of the year they were born.

The findings of the study help researchers explain why a person’s risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) is impacted by their birth month and also indentifies the need for further research on the potential advantages of vitamin D supplementation during the course of pregnancy, to help fight off gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and low birth weight newborns.

In the past, other studies have shows that the month you’re born can be a factor in your risk for developing MS. Research has shown that the risk for MS appears to be the highest for babies born in May, and lowest for those born in November. And last year a study published in the journal Neurology indicated that higher levels of vitamin D during pregnancy could later prevent MS in mothers.

The recent study, however, took blood samples from the umbilical cords of 50 babies born in November (the lowest risk month) and 50 babies born in May (the highest risk month). Researchers studied the vitamin D levels and levels of autoreactive T-cells (white blood cells that help the immune system fight off infections) found in babies blood.

For the JAMA study, blood samples were taken from the umbilical cords of 50 babies born in November and 50 babies born in May. Researchers looked at levels of vitamin D and levels of autoreactive T-cells in the babies’ blood. The researchers noted that babies born in May had significantly lower levels of vitamin D and higher levels of autoreactive T-cells compared to those babies born in November.

Co-author of the study, Dr. Sreeram Ramagopalan, said, “By showing that month of birth has a measurable impact on in utero immune system development, this study provides a potential biological explanation for the widely observed “month of birth” effect in MS. Higher levels of autoreactive T-cells, which have the ability to turn on the body, could explain why babies born in May are at a higher risk of developing MS.”

Ramagopalan also went on to reiterate the need for further studies to determine the effect of vitamin D on pregnant women, and how it impacts baby’s immune system development. He said, “The correlation with vitamin D suggests this could be the driver of this effect. There is a need for long-term studies to assess the effect of vitamin D supplementation in pregnant women and the subsequent impact on immune system development and risk of MS and other autoimmune diseases.”

Did you have a baby born in May? Were you worried about your vitamin D levels?

Plus, more from The Bump:

How Often Should We Go to the Pediatrician?

Pregnancy Diet: What to Eat When You’re Pregnant

Vitamin D May Help You Get Pregnant

New research concludes that receiving multiple vaccinations does not increase an infants risk of developing autism.

Though, research (including an analysis made by the Institute of Medicine) has not found a causal relationship between vaccinations and the developmental disorder, one in every 10 parents still choose to delay or outright refuses to vaccinate their children according to the Center for Disease Control’s childhood immunization schedule. There is no evidence that supports delaying the doses of the 14 different vaccinations recommended in the U.S. is safer for children.

And today, new research published in the Journal of Pediatrics, only further concludes that there remains no association between receiving “too many” shots and autism.

Researchers poured over data involving 256 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and 752 children without ASD. From the data, researchers examined their vaccinations schedules and scientists calculated the maximum amount of antigens from the shots each child received in a single doctor’s visit to determine how stimulated the babies’ immune systems were to create antibodies against the diseases they had been vaccinated for. Researchers also caluclated each infants’ overall antigen exposure into three different groupings — from birth to three months, birth to seven months and birth to two years old. By that time, most children should have received the bulk of their vaccinations.

From each age grouping, scientists then compared exposure to antibody-producing antigen and also the risk for ASD. By age two, they found, most vaccinated children should have been exposed to about 315 different antigens. Researchers could not find any increase in incidence of autism diagnoses, or autism-related diagnoses. They were able to conclude that neither the number of vaccines a child receives before age two nor the number of vaccines a child gets in a single day were associated with the development of the developmental delay.

Though researchers are aware that children today receive more vaccinations than ever before, it doesn’t mean that they are being exposed to more antigens. Scientists also stress that an infant’s immune system can successfully confront a heavy burden of bacterial or viral stimuli.

Chief science officer for Autism Speaks, Geraldine Dawson, says, “The concern around vaccines has been a very significant issue. Many parents are now deciding to wait or space out vaccines. There has been a concern that when parents are worried about whether vaccines are associated with autism that they are going to choose not to vaccinate their child. That’s one of the reasons we see this as very good news, because we hope this will reassure parents that the number of vaccines your child received during the first couple years of life is not associated with a risk in developing autism.”

She continued on to say, “I think one of the biggest struggles for families is that we still do not understand the causes of autism. We know that there are many different causes and I think that until we conduct more research and understand the causes, parents are going to be drawing connections and having many questions and concerns.”

What this research does do, however, is continue to reinforce the scientific research that supports vaccinations do not cause the developmental delay in children.

How do you feel about this research?

Plus, more from The Bump:

Are Vaccinations Okay While Pregnant?

Vaccinations: What Baby Will Need When

Are Vaccines Safe for Baby?

In the crazy, confusing and exhausting world of food allergies, new recommendations have been made. Now, parents of babies between 4 and 6 months are advised to introduce highly allergenic foods such as peanut butter, eggs and fish to their developing children.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) released an article in the January Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology: In Practice from their Adverse Reactions to Foods Committee. In the journal, they recommended when to introduce these highly allergenic foods like wheat, soy, milk, shellfish and tree nuts to your baby’s menu but now, new reports say the foods should be introduced sooner.

The new recommendations maintain that these highly allergenic foods should be introduced after typical first foods have been eaten and tolerated, such as rice cereal, fruits and vegetables. Babies should be fed these foods safely, at home, and in gradually increasing amounts over time.

In order to make these revolutionary recommendations, the AAAAI used information garnered from more than a half dozen studies.

In 2000, the American Academy of Pediatrics released guidelines stating that children should hold off on having milk until age 1, eggs until age 2 and tree nuts, fish, shellfish and peanuts until age 3. But in 2008, the AAP revised its own guidelines, admitting that such delays prevent the development of food allergies. At the time, they didn’t over a plan for when and how to introduce such highly allergenic foods to children.

Today, the AAAAI has made the recommendations that parents have long waited for.

Speaking with David Fleischer, pediatric allergist at National Jewish Health in Denver, he said, “There’s been more studies that find that if you introduce them early it may actually prevent food allergy. We need to get the message out now to pediatricians, primary-care physicians and specialists that these allergenic foods can be introduced early.”

Dr. Fleischer went on to say that more study results are needed to conclusively determine whether early introduction will in fact lead to lower food-allergy rates and whether they should be recommended as a practice.

Though trials and research are currently in progess throughout the United Kingdom and Australia, some have already made the case to explain the benefit of early introduction. One theory details that early introduction is important because if babies aren’t exposed early enough to certain foods, their immune systems will treat them as foreign substances and attack them, resulting in allergies to those foods.

Says Katie Allen, a professor and allergist at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute at Royal Children’s Hospital in Australia, “the body has to be trained in the first year of life. We think there’s a critical window, probably around 4 to 6 months, when the child first starts to eat solids.”

But there’s another theory to explain the food allergies found in children: westernized countries don’t offer children the same exposure to germs because they’ve become more hygienic, which affects the immune systems development.

Though many have come out in favor of the new recommendations (and the research to follow), some experts remain critical. Robert Wood, director of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said, “The evidence that has come up is of great interest but it’s all either anecdotal or epidemiological and not the intervention studies that are going on right now that will lead to answers in the next three years.”

And Dr. Wood also mentioned that parents should not feel pressured to do early introductions. His advice to confused parents is, “You can do whatever you want because we’re not sure what makes a difference.”

Do these new recommendations comfort or confuse you?

Plus, more from The Bump:

The Best Foods for Your Baby (Plus a Few to Avoid)

Which Solids Are Not Safe for Baby?

Safest Solid Foods to Feed Baby?

A new study led by Anita Kozyrskyj, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, found that babies born by C-section had a different set of microbes in their digestive tracts than babies who were born vaginally. Additionally, the study also determined that breastfed babies had a different makeup of bacteria in their bodies than other babies who were fed via formula.

The study author, Kozyrskyj, said that her team of researchers goal was to show that a “decision about elective C-sections may cause changes that parents can’t see but nevertheless affect development.” That is to say — these ‘bugs’ that live in babies help digest food are different, depending on whether or not baby was born vaginally or via C-section, was nursed or fed via formula.

Researchers studied 24 babies and compared the bacteria found in baby poop samples collected when each infant was just 3 months old. They knew, prior to the study, that C-section deliveries could result in a higher risk of asthma, diabetes, cancer and even obesity, but they didn’t know how. Their recent work suggests that at least part of that risk may be due to the microbes forming inside baby.

Here’s how they did it:

Through vaginal delivery, babies are welcomed to the world of bacteria and viruses because they pass through the birth canal — their birth serves at their first informal immunization. As they pass through, the pick up the microbial content of their mothers and as they continue to develop (and age), they distinguish between bacterial friend and foe. Alternatively, babies born through Cesarean section, skip the “immunization,” leaving them more susceptible  to bacteria. During the course of the study, researchers found that babies born by C-section had fewer forms of the bacteria known as Escherichia and Shigella. Kozyrskyj (the study author) says that these two forms are known as “seeding species” and they lay the building blocks for the next groups of microbes.  They are also critical species that help a baby’s immune system decipher between good and bad bacteria. Though she says that they are still learning about the order of the microbes, Kozyrskyj believes that “if there is an order, then timing is important.”

The study concluded similar findings for breastfeeding. Formula-fed babies, the research shows, have more Peptostreptococcaceae bacteria and Clostridium difficile (which causes diarrhea and other unpleasant side effects in adults), while breastfed babies do not.

And though these findings are critical for researchers, their work is far from finished. Kozyrskyj plans to connect these changes in bacteria abundance to childhood conditions — searching for more answers as to what causes these afflictions. She said, “The next step is to link these changes to childhood conditions and assess whether these children have different risks for diseases, how severe their conditions are and what the patterns of these diseases are.”

Were these findings shocking for you?

Plus, more from The Bump:

Top 10 Health Benefits of Breastfeeding

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All Your New Mom Questions — and Answers!

Make way for not one, not two — but five! — happy, healthy babies!

A Texas family, Gavin and Carrie Jones, welcomed quintuplets into the world on August 9th and the happy family brought home the last of their quints this week!

Carrie and Gavin, also parents to a 9-year-old son named Issac, told the Dallas News that things have been “a little hectic.” But the proud mama of six was over the moon, saying, “we are just so happy, happy, happy to have Seth home; the hectic is okay.”

Seth was the last of the quints to leave the hospital due to severe breathing problems and he was welcomed home to 5 brothers and sisters – Will, David, Marcie, Grace and big brother Issac — and a mom and dad who were eagerly waiting for him! Though they are all home, the babies will continue to receive medical attention. Their doctor, Dr. Rashmin Savini, is proud to report that the infants are “making steady progress.”

The family has started a blog to chronicle their journey through Carrie’s pregnancy. The blog will now follow them through parenting quintuplets and a 9-year-old son — and it’s no surprise the blog gets over a million hits, as FoxNews.com reports!

So what is like with 5 babies + 1 soon-to-be teenager?

Gavin Jones says, “there’s never a baby without a need. Every once in a while, we have one or two babies asleep, but it’s never-ending neediness.”

And there’s no shortage of outside help, either. On average, the family has 25 volunteers to help them get through the day-to-day routine until all of the children have grown and are on similar schedules.

If we were close enough to lend a hand, we definitely would — but we wish the Jones family the best and are so happy that their entire brood is finally home together!

Plus, more from The Bump:

What to Eat When You’re Expecting Multiples

Pregnancy Checklist for Multiples

Pregnant With More Than One? Here’s What You Need to Know

Here are a handful of home remedies that will help you soothe your sick child during cold and flu season.

Your young child has a bad cold and you’re struggling to make her more comfortable — you go to the medicine cabinet to find something to provide relief but quickly realize you have nothing appropriate to give her, given her age Studies have taught us that, for children under age seven, cough medications provide no benefit and for those under age four, the risks can outweigh the benefits. That’s why recommended experts say that you should never give children under four any cold medications. So, what are you to do now?

Actually, for both young and older children there are some good home remedies that you can use. And in most cases, these treatments have been found to be more beneficial than over-the-counter medications.  For example, saline washes of the nostrils and warm steam showers can help break up the nasal mucous and decrease cough spasms.  A warm steam shower increases humidity and helps to keep the nostrils moist but if the rest of the house or bedroom is very dry you might consider using a humidifier in those rooms. For infants, in addition to the saline wash, make sure to suction your child’s nostrils to help extract the mucous.

Give your child lots of fluids — including warm fluids — to keep him or her hydrated, which helps thin out the mucous. There is no evidence that milk causes thicker secretions so whatever your child wants to drink let him have it. Cough syrups with ingredients like dextromethorphan have actually been found not to be beneficial under the age seven. However, ‘good old’ honey can help, especially dark buckwheat honey.  Honey should only be given to children above age one because of the risk of infantile botulism. Infant botulism is an illness that happens when an infant digests contaminated honey with bacteria, Clostridium botulism, which produces a toxin inside the body. Older children have mature digestive tracts which can usually rid the body of the spores before producing any toxin.

So, for children above the age one, you can give ½ to 1 teaspoon (2.5 ml to 5 ml) as needed. The honey helps to thin out the secretions and loosens the cough.  Remember all of these are symptomatic measures and it will take some time for the virus to pass. However, make sure to check with your pediatrician if your child is less than two months old, has a fever for more than two to three days, has symptoms lasting for more than a week, is having breathing issues or has severe ear or throat pain.  The cough and cold season can be tough…keep washing those hands…sneezing in your elbow…and know your child may have up to eight to 10 colds a season. But rest assured, colds actually help build immunity…so there is a silver lining?

 Do you have any home remedies you use?

Plus, more from The Bump: 

Mom’s Intuition vs. Diagnosis

6 Easy Ways to Keep Baby Healthy

How to Keep Your Baby from Getting the Cold or the Flu

It’s January and my 8-month-old is on his second cold of the season. It hasn’t been anything serious – just your average, run-of-the-mill cold: fever, fussiness, runny nose and coughing. And while it hasn’t been unbearable, oh, how I wish it would it would just end end!

There were several things that I wasn’t prepared for and others that I was when my baby got sick. Next time baby sparks a fever, you better believe I’ll be ready! But I’ve learned some lessons that all moms should know when it comes to seasonal colds, things like:

Knowing how to contact your doctor.
This one was fairly easy and also easy to overlook. Of course, I have my pediatrician’s phone number programmed in my cell phone. But my husband didn’t. When my cell phone battery died, we needed to use his phone and we had to look up the phone number. Never again! Now it is programmed into both of our phones. We also made sure the nurse’s line was in both of our phones as well.

Making sure your baby thermometer works.
We have a baby thermometer (that we love!), but when I went to go get it out, the battery was dead. And it doesn’t use a traditional AAA battery. I went to a couple of stores and neither of them carried it. I had to call a specialty battery store to find one in town. I didn’t just buy one – I bought two to make sure that we have a spare. The last thing you want to do with a tired, achy, fevery baby is cart him from store-to-store to find an elusive battery! So, go, now, and check your baby thermometer. Seriously, do it!

Having medication (and extras!) on hand.
Besides a working thermometer, the other thing that I didn’t have was medicine for breaking that fever. Since the dosage is dependent upon baby’s weight, I called the pediatrician’s office to get the dosage. Since he was older than 6 months, I had the option of giving him either ibuprofen or acetaminophen. But I didn’t have either of those. Again, off to the grocery store to pick some up. Keep an emergency set on hand somewhere at home in case you run out of your every day stock.

Being prepared to hold your baby. And then hold him some more.
I can’t remember a time when my son was so willing to be held. Willing isn’t even the right word — needing to be held is closer to the truth. His stuffy nose didn’t allow him to sleep as long or as deeply as he was used to, causing for more crankiness. And he just wanted to be held. All. Day. Long. And since it was over the holidays, I already had the time off work so I just threw my schedule out the window. Even though I did enjoy the extra cuddles, I wasn’t happy to see my baby so cranky.

How do you deal with baby colds?

Plus, more from The Bump:

10 Ways to Soothe a Sick Baby

6 Ways to Keep Baby Healthy

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Our son was born with a case of jaundice bad enough to send us home from the hospital with a bili-blanket to fight it off. Luckily, we only needed to use it for a few days before his enzyme levels were better. (He also got a black eye from delivery, but it didn’t hurt him and caused no permanent damage. It just made him look like a boxer for a couple of weeks). After that, we were very blessed to not encounter any health concerns.

…Until he was about four months old. That’s when we noticed that he felt really hot and was crying even though he wasn’t hungry or tired. We decided to take his temperature. Well, we tried to, anyway. As first time parents, it wasn’t as easy as we thought it would be. We have one of those 3-in-1 baby thermometers, so we tried the underarm method (orally didn’t seem a good idea with his crying). Do you know how hard it is to take the underarm temperature of a screaming and wailing baby? Pretty darn difficult. We got the thermometer to give a reading, but it was really low, so we didn’t trust it much.

So we switched to taking his temperature rectally. He was still screaming and wailing, but at least this time, it was possible to get a reading. It showed 102 degrees, which we started freaking out about. Being baby novices and all, 102 seemed really, really high!

We didn’t know what was the right dose of Tylenol for our 13-pound son, so since it was the weekend, we called the doctor’s office and left a message for a nurse to call us back. In the meantime, we waited. And consulted Dr. Google, which is usually not a good idea, but in this case it taught us that a rectal temperature is usually a full degree higher than a temperature taken orally or underarm. That was good to know.

While we waited, we tried other methods to bring his fever down — mostly cooling him off. The major problem is that my husband and I both got frustrated. With the situation and with each other. So we yelled at each other. Not good. Not helpful to the situation. And not typical of us. Intellectually, we knew it was probably just a fever. But this was something we hadn’t ever dealt with before and we were scared and unprepared. I ended up distancing myself and let my husband handle it until we heard back from the nurse. Eventually, it all resolved itself. We can kind of laugh about it now, but at the time, it wasn’t the least bit funny. We’ve been blessed to not have any health concerns since.

…Well, until his 6-month check-up, that is. Our pediatrician noticed that Finn’s head is showing signs of craniosynostosis, which is a condition where his skull bones prematurely fuse, preventing his brain from having plenty of room to grow. We went in for a skull x-ray and the decision was to “wait and see”. Since the cure for this condition is surgery to unfuse the skull bones, you don’t want to rush into it. We’ll go back for a check up later this month, but so far he’s meeting all his developmental milestones, which is encouraging.

I can only hope that we handle this possible health scare better than the last. I know that a fever and a small surgery are miniscule compared to what other families battle, but I tend to see difficulties (no matter how serious) as opportunities for my marriage to grow stronger rather than weaken and I wouldn’t exactly give us an “A” for teamwork the last time.

How have you and your partner handled illnesses in your child?

Heads up moms and moms-to-be! It’s that time of year again.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new flu vaccine that will be used during the 2012-2013 season.

Each year the FDA, in conjunction with  the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study influenza virus samples and global disease patterns to identify virus strains likely to cause the most illness during the upcoming flu season. Based on this research, the new vaccine will target the following strains:

• A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus
• A/Victoria/361/2011 (H3N2)-like virus
• B/Wisconsin/1/2010-like virus.

According to the CDC, between 5 percent and 20 percent of the U.S. population develops influenza each year. The CDC and FDA add that vaccination remains the most effective way to fight off the flu, especially this year.

“It is especially important to get vaccinated this year because two of the three virus strains used in this season’s influenza vaccines differ from the strains included in last year’s vaccines,” said Karen Midthun, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research in a statement.

The CDC encourages pregnant women to receive vaccinations, as they are at a higher risk for developing complications in infected. The CDC also adds that children younger than 6-months are not approved for the vaccine.

Will you and your family receive the vaccination?

Plus more from The Bump:

A Flu Shot During Pregnancy Prevents More Than Just the Flu

Vaccinations: What Baby Will Need

Vaccine Tracker Tool