Abstract: Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifetime development infirmity currently affects communication, societal interaction and how a person recognize the world around him. the expansion of the diagnostic principles, were triggered the wide pervasiveness of autism over the last years.
Objectives: To investigate various social and environmental factors associated with Autism among children.
Method: A case-control study was conducted on children aged between 3 to 12 years, using A self-administered questionnaire directed at parents of eighty cases of autism, and 140 controls.
Results: The study revealed that autism was triple times more among the only child in the family (OR 3.5, p= 0.005). Family history; of autism and other psychiatric diseases were significantly associated with autism (p=0.0001, p=0.006 respectively). Incessant viewing of various screens more than 3 hours/ day, has practiced 7 folds more among autistic child than control (OR 6.97, p= 0.048). Febrile convulsion during early years of life and fathers age > 40 years were significantly associated with autism (p= 0.0001, 0.0001). Certain drugs consumption, the misery of the pregnant mother, and cesarean section were significantly higher in ASD children than controls (p= 0.0001, p= 0.009, p=0.0005). While crying at birth and breast feeding appear to act as protective factors against ASD. The study concluded that; various factors might associate with autism as being the only baby, family history, incessant viewing screens, febrile convulsion, fathers' age, pregnant mother’s misery, drugs and Cesarean section. Additional more comprehensive longitudinal studies are recommended to precisely identify these factors and others.
