Researchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (Maryland) and Harvard (Boston) analyzed occupational patterns in mothers of children with autism and revealed that they have a characteristic common ethic. The study, which analyzed 1,702 cases and covers almost 40 years of birth data in Denmark, showed a relationship between employment and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

The results, published in British Medical Journal (The BMJ), indicate that mothers who work in environments with toxic substances or high levels of stress have a greater risk of having children with TEA. Associated professions include: land transportation, public administration and military defense. These sectors have been demonstrated to be correlated with an increase in the likelihood of autism.

“We observed sex differences, with significant associations in male children for employment in land transportation and defense occupations,” the authors detail.

Work stress and its impact on child development

The study also suggests that physical and psychosocial stress associated with certain occupations can negatively influence child neurodevelopment. The research suggests:

Among the significant details of the study it is revealed that the cases with ASD were predominantly male (71%), being a large part of the participants (46%) born in the 1990s. At time, the average maternal age at the birth of the child was 29.3 years.

It is notable that, among the ASD cases presented, there was a proportion of mothers with a history of neuropsychiatric disorders of 3.6%.

Implications and future of research

The findings highlight a link between occupations with exposure to toxins and ASD. The authors conclude that it's fundamental to research in-depth into it as occupational exposures and their relationship with other neurodevelopmental disorders, using methodologies that address these exposures in a specific and temporal manner.

Hazardous substances in the workplace

Several toxic substances have been identified as risks in professions and jobs with chemical exposure: asbestos, benzene, lead, arsenic and pesticides. Also Solvents such as toluene and trichloroethylene, isocyanates, carbon monoxide, vinyl chloride and mercury appear frequently in different work sectors.

In practical terms, the most cited due to their relationship with professional diseases are:

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