With autism, correlation doesn't mean it's a cause

So far, the search for the cause of autism has only caused confusion.

Leave it to KOAT health expert Abinash Achrekar M.D., better known as Dr. Ash, to clarify what is known and what isn't.

"When scientists say something cause autism, they mean that a factor directly leads to autism," Dr. Ash said. "But with most of the factors that have been studied, we're talking about correlation: when two things show up together but one doesn't necessarily cause the other."

While there have been studies linking autism to premature birth, low birth weight and obesity, diabetes, or high blood pressure during pregnancy, these, again, are correlations, not causes, Dr. Ash said. The same goes for certain medications, excess alcohol use, pesticides, and air pollution.

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