ASD in families.

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Does anyone know if there are any observable patterns on HOW autistic traits are passed on and manifested in different individuals in families?

I see a lot of NTs having children with classic autism, the parents may also have another close relative with classic autism but in these cases I wonder how Asperger's or other autistic behaviors are spread out through that person's family tree.

Is there any somewhat detailed information available on this? I have no classic autistics in my family but I suspect I have AS myself, I can definitely see Aspie traits in some of my other family members and almost EVERYONE in my family has ADHD. So is it likely that I would have an Aspie child? I have no issued with this, but honestly, I'm a little afraid of having a child with classic, low functioning autism. I know that may sound awful but I'm just being realistic, I don't know if I would have the strength to deal with it. I would love my child unconditionally, of course, I just don't know that I'd be the best parent for a child that had a lot of special needs, aside from ADHD or AS, I applaud those parents who deal with these on a regular basis but I don't if that could ever be me.

I completely agree with your post.

I don't have much information to offer, as to the science behind genes and autism. I have observations -- in that I've seen more than a few families with asperger's in one child, then high-funtioning autism with another child, and then low-functioning autism in a younger child. We have the first two examples, but not a low-functioning child. I know that I would deal with it, and would survive and probably be a fairly good parent, but I struggle just with my high-functioning autistic child -- so it makes me doubt my ability to handle one lower down on the spectrum. My high-functioning son has really, really good and positive characteristics that more than outweight the small amounts of rough times -- but I'm not the best at handling stress, and I'm older, so I tire easy. I have to remind myself that my son will be fine.

I have been concerned about this issue because my older son is now married and ready to begin a family. I was concerned about full disclosure with the girl who was to become his wife, when they were dating. I think that realistically, things will be fine for them, and even if they have a child on the spectrum, there is so much more available out there now to diagnosis, and to help with the future. But I do observe families with no children on the spectrum in our area, and suddenly they have ONE child on the spectrum.

I don't think it hurts to be realistic about things, and get as much information as possible. That way you're more prepared (as prepared as you can be) for the future.

I have AS, I have a child with Autism and I have one that may have AS as well.

There is research going on to try to figure this stuff out but no definite answers.

At Duke they are looking at the relationship between families with high achievement and psychosis/schizophrenia. This rings true for my family. On my side there is a lot of "high achievement." Mom's an Art Historian, Dad's a surgeon, Mom's mom was a child prodigy/genious and had a career when women didn't do that early in the last century, Mom's dad and brother were Civil Engineers, Dad's brothers and Sisters are Drs, a Pharmacist, a Nurse, and a Dentist and so on. On my ex husband's side there is a great deal of mental illness. His mother is a teacher with a Master's degree. Her siblings are uneducated and recieve disability for mental illness. His Dad was a factory worker but his siblings were successful in business. On my ex's side there is both some high achievement and a great deal of mental illness. One of his uncles was a very talented musician but self medicated his scz. with alcohol so didn't work so consistantly.

My understanding is that this profile is associated with high functioning AS, specifically.

I've got two kids who are Aspies and one who's an enigma.

Google it and look for research projects. There are all sorts of things going on.

I've got two siblings with ASD and a grandfather who had likely AS. My cousins on my mother's side speak a little like me with the extensive use of caesura and phrasing. With that, we usualy tend to get along better with them than on my dad's side, though we know my dad's side a lot more.

Now that I have been (unfortunately) diagnosed with SPD, I and my whole family are considered on the Spectrum. The most likely genetic link is my father who's younger brother was given up for adoption as a young child because he was "ret*d", probably Classic Kanners. My dad shows traits but was never diagnosed.

My older brother is a LFA.
I have JUST been diagnosed as having an SPD (but I do not consider myself to be have an ASD).
My younger brother is a LFA.
And my younger sister has AS.

It seems that we girls are less severly affected by the genetics than the males. I'm not sure if that's just us, or if that is something found amongst alot of 'spectrum families' would be interested to know though.

My father is more aspie than I am. If I have it I know where it came from.

I suspect AS in myself, and my grandfather showed lots of traits of it.

parents show traits
me = oldest = AS
sister = youngest = HFA

with one in between that's (relatively) normal.

Well .. My mother's side of the family has been rather interesting. I would strongly disagree with the assertion that my grandparents had any form of autism, but my grandfather was shy and brainy and very picky about food. My grandmother was born with a walnut sized gap in her brain that seems to have affected her medulla and cerebellum. Probably irrelevant but very strange. She was diagnosed with ADD. My mother has ADD and bipolar disorder. My father's mother had a personality issue (probably not pathological, but..whew.) It just seems like I was genetically doomed. I'm just glad I have a nice fully formed, albeit abnormal, brain.
My sister had some ASD traits (she used to slam her head into the floor when she was upset, and some other things I won't list because I'm lazy) but she is SO social and she is great at school and laser focused at all times and has zero behavioral issues.. blah blah blah

My father has traits, possibly enough to be diagnosable.
My brother is very obviously on the spectrum (probably HFA due to his speech delay) but isn't diagnosed.
I have AS.
My husband is dyslexic, and probably has ADD, plus a ton of extreme sensory issues.
My daughter is NT except being dyslexic.
My middle son has HFA, primarily due to a speech delay. If it weren't for that he'd be diagnosed with AS. He is almost my clone.
My youngest son has LFA. I think he may not have been as severe if his birth wasn't so difficult, but he is what he is and I love him.

Thinking about it...my quirky, antisocial, brilliant, sister could easily have AS, not that she needs a dx, but she's possibly diagnosable. I'm pretty sure she's got ADHD, like everybody else in the family. Mom's mom, could have. Mom's mom's mom could have too, definitely ADHD...Hmmmm On Dad's side I don't know them so well but they a mega-quirky crew. I always thought it was just excessive amounts of brains, but AS could fit. His oldest brother, the pharmacist...Um, well, duh, now that you mention it it's pretty obvious.

Probably the only one in the family with AS who's ever needed special help/services to get through life would be my eldest son, but a lot of that has to do with mood stuff more than the actual AS.

my mother has autism, as does my brother, My Grandad had many autistic traits and most of my mothers family had very autistic traits also,

To the OP:

Check out Broad (or Broader) Autism Phenotype. It is the idea that the relatives of those with Autism Spectrum Disorders have traits of autism but not to the degree that they are diagnosable. So, for instance, relatives may have alexithymia (difficulty understanding and expressing emotions), sensory issues, various forms of emotional dysregulation including anxiety and/or depression, processing issues (such as auditory processing disorder), giftedness, etc.

Coupled with possible environmental triggers,in a family's genetic soup, various combinations and intensities of autistic traits can appear in offspring.

Z

My dad. Antisocial at school, clumsy at sports, and lousy at math. He is gifted in history and the humanities and used to read economics magazines obsessively. At university his friends were older than him and more intellectual. He won't talk to anyone at a party/gathering unless they can discuss business/finance/culture. If they don't he will read the newspapers. He is quite good at investment. But what is so sad is that despite a degree from a top university, he can't really rise in his profession. He dad used to want to become an academic but didn't because he wasn't the best at law school. and he thought being a history lecturer can't earn you a decent living.

My greatgrandfather possibly, Illiterate but a sound businessman. He crafted furniture of good quality that important people came and bought. He hated social functions and refused to accompany my greatgrandmother. Not really close to anyone. His hobby was smoking opium.

mother - ADD (with severe executive function issues) + traits (stims, special interests, a loner, socially naive, a few sensory issues) but certainly not on the spectrum
father - puzzle, have suspected AS as well as a variety of personality disorders etc
brother - traits of AS, Tourettes & ADD (suspect he is on the spectrum but outside of diagnosis range)
brother's kids - one AS + ADHD, the other unsure yet, possible ADD
self - AS (self diagnosed; confirmed by therapist but no DX)

all of us fall into "gifted" range, so interesting reading Zonder's post re: broader autism phenotype and seeing giftedness as a trait; but i do find it unsurprising and somewhere read a list of possible traits of gifted children and it sounded very much like a description of mild AS (sensory issues, trouble relating to other people socially)

in grandparents' generation, several people with depression and severe anxieties about change and who were mean / curmudgeons who i now wonder about.