Aspergers & Heredity

By Mark Hutten, M.A.
Question

Is Aspergers hereditary?

Answer

There is a strong genetic component with Aspergers, but it doesn't necessarily mean that you will inherit it from your parents, or that your children will inherit from you, only that you have a higher likelihood of having Aspergers than the general population if someone in your family has Aspergers. If both parents have autism or Aspergers, there is an even greater likelihood that they will have children with autism or Aspergers, but it does not mean that all or any of their children will. Ongoing research is attempting to determine causes of autism spectrum disorders, but there are still many unanswered questions.


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