What is the risk of Autistic Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorders in siblings of children with autism?
The risk of Autistic Disorder for siblings in a family with one child with Autistic Disorder is 6 to 8%. The risk of Autistic Disorder for siblings in a family with two children with Autistic Disorder is 25 to 30%. The risk of other Autism Spectrum Disorders for siblings of children with Autistic Disorder is not yet known. It is probably higher than 6 to 8%. The risk of other communication, social, emotional, and behaviour problems for siblings of children with Autistic Disorder is 30%. (National Coalition for Health Professional Education in Genetics, 2004) Website: http://www.nchpeg.org/cdrom/empiric.
