What Causes Autism Part 2: What Does The Science Show?

Link for CME credit coming soon!

Dr. Avinash Boddapati joins Pediatrics Now and builds on the wonderful talk by Dr. Mario Fierro in part one, to explain more about what we know—and don’t—about the causes of autism, highlighting that autism is multifactorial and involves genetics, brain biology, and environmental influences.

He covers early red flags, genetic risk and testing, maternal and prenatal factors, common misconceptions (including vaccines), and promising research directions like gene–environment interactions and epigenetics.

Key takeaways for pediatric clinicians: counsel families without blame, prioritize early identification and intervention, and weigh risks and benefits when discussing exposures during pregnancy.