Living Near Freeways Associated With Autism

Researchers from California recently found that living near a freeway might correlate with a higher risk of autism. The researchers from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) and the UC Davis MIND Institute found that living near freeways was at least one environmental factor associated with autism.

The researched published in the journal “Environmental Health Perspectives” found that “Children born to mothers living within 309 meters of a freeway appeared to be twice as likely to have autism.” Autism is a developmental disorder that is traditionally attributed to genetics, but is thought to also have environmental factors. Other studies have found that air pollution exposure during pregnancy can have physical, cognitive and developmental effects on a baby, but the study authors said this was the first time air pollution was linked specifically to autism.

This is pretty scary. I think about growing up quite literally  next to a freeway and wonder what could have happened to me.