Study: Skin syndrome in newborns may lead to mild form of autism

By Staff Writer

New research reveals that newborns who are diagnosed with jaundice may have a higher risk of developing a mild autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

According to U.S. News and World Report, a study in Denmark found that too much bilirubin - a bile pigment that causes jaundice - in a newborn's skin can cause cerebral palsy, deafness and autism.

Researchers studied over 700,000 children and found that children who had jaundice, which is a yellowing of eyes and skin, were 56 percent more likely to develop pervasive developmental disorder, which is a mild form of autism. The news provider reports that jaundice is common among newborns, so scientists are still questioning whether the link is circumstantial or just a coincidence.

Researchers also discovered that children born in winter months were more likely to be diagnosed with both jaundice and autism than those who were born in the summer. They speculated that exposure to more sunlight can help the body clear excess bilirubin.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that an average of one in 110 children in the U.S. have an ASD.