By Franklin Delgado
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 common characteristic. The study, which analyzed 1,702 cases and spanning 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 Scientific 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 ASD. Associated professions include: ground transportation, public administration and military defense. These sectors have been shown to be correlated with an increase in the probability 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 the physical and psychosocial stress associated with certain occupations can negatively influence childhood neurodevelopment. Research suggests:
- Job stress may increase the risk of ASD through inflammation in pregnancy.
- There is complexity in discerning what type of stress has the greatest impact on neurological development.
Among the significant details of the study, it is revealed that the cases with ASD were predominantly male (71%), with a large part of the participants (46%) born in the 1990s. At the same time, the average maternal age at the time of the child’s birth was 29.3 years.
It is noteworthy that, among the ASD cases presented, there was a proportion of mothers with history of neuropsychiatric disorders of 3.6%.
Implications and future of research
The findings highlight a link between occupations with toxic exposure and ASD. The authors conclude that it is important to investigate more in-depth work-related exposures and their relationship with other neurodevelopmental disorders, using methodologies that address these exposures specifically and temporally.
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. They also frequently appear solvents such as toluene and trichloroethylene, isocyanates, carbon monoxide, vinyl chloride and mercury in different labor sectors.
In practical terms, the most cited due to their relationship with occupational diseases are:
- Asbestos: associated with asbestosis and cancer.
- Lead and derivatives: related to anemia, neurological and kidney damage.
- Benzene: linked to bone marrow damage and increased risk of infection.
- Arsenic: associated with cancer and nervous system damage.
- Pesticides: related to acute poisoning and chronic effects, including some cancers and neurological disorders.
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