Medical Conditions
Some medical conditions can be risk factors for autism. For instance, benign tumors caused by tuberous sclerosis would occur in the brain and affect normal activities in the nervous system. This leads to some symptoms of autism, especially in children. A genetic condition called Rett syndrome mostly happens in girls. It leads to slower growth of the head, loss of hand use, as well as intellectual disability in the long run. Similarly, many other mental problems would affect the brain and increase the risk of autism. [4]
