| Premature birth is tied to an increased chance of having autism, according to the largest study yet to examine the connection. And premature birth itself — rather than unrecognized genetic or environmental factors — seems to underlie the association. The findings suggest that infants born prematurely need early evaluation and long-term follow-up to support the timely detection and treatment of autism, experts say. “We know that early intervention can make a huge difference in later outcome, and more effective interventions are increasingly available,” says April Benasich, professor of developmental cognitive neuroscience at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey, who did not participate in this study. |
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