New Study Confirms 20% Autism Risk for Siblings of Autistic Children

Research highlights the influence of sibling sex, multiple autistic siblings, and maternal education on autism recurrence rates.

Siblings of autistic children have a 20% chance of being diagnosed with autism, a rate seven times higher than the general population.
The sex of the first autistic child significantly impacts recurrence; families with an autistic daughter face a 50% higher risk for subsequent children.
Multiple autistic siblings increase the likelihood of autism to 37%, compared to 21% for those with only one autistic sibling.
Boys are more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls, with a recurrence rate of 25% for boys and 13% for girls.
Maternal education and race also influence recurrence rates, with higher rates in non-white families and those with lower maternal education levels.