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Prenatal immune activity and infections are associated with a heightened risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD; NEJM JW Psychiatry Apr 2013 and Mol Psychiatry 2014; 19:259; J Autism Dev Dis Dec 2015; 45:4015). To see whether fevers, from any cause, affected risk, researchers followed a Norwegian mother-child cohort (≈96,000 children born 1999–2009) through 2014 (mean age, 9 years). Mothers completed questionnaires about fevers and antipyretic use at gestational weeks 17 and 30 and at 6 months postpartum; children were screened for ASD at ages 3, 5, and 7 years. Children with positive screens had in-person assessments. About 580 children (0.6%) were identified as having ASD (some from the screen and some from medical registries).
Risks for A…