Persons with autism are 3 times more likely than other members of the general population to die from a preventable injury. That’s the shocking conclusion from a study that’s garnering media attention throughout the U.S.
We’ll talk about the study in this issue.
The Study at a Glance
Researchers with the Center for Injury Epidemiology and Prevention at Columbia University looked at nearly 40 million death records that were filed over a 15-year period.
From looking at the data, they found that over a quarter of the people diagnosed with autism died from an injury – that was 3 times the percentage of the general population.
The average age of death from an injury for autistic persons was 29. That contrasts with the average age of 55 among those in the general population who died because of injury.
The Most Common Injury Resulting in Death
According to the researchers, the most common causes of death for those with autism were suffocation (oxygen prevented from entering the body), asphyxiation (oxygen missing in the body) and drowning.
“Autistic children aged 14 years and younger are more likely to die from an injury than the general pediatric population,” said lead researcher Dr. Guohua Li.
According to Li, autistic children often wander around and towards water as a way to seek relief from anxiety.
Unsure Why Your Child Was Diagnosed With Autism? Call The Fitzgerald Law Firm
As we noted in a previous entry, there’s no singular known cause of autism but it is known that some birth injuries can.
If your child has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder or you suspect your child has an autism spectrum disorder, contact The Fitzgerald Law Firm.
The first consultation is always free and our number is 800-323-9900.