We need more research like today’s focus article, which considers the effects of parental occupational chemical exposure on autistic children’s future co-occurring “behaviors or cognitive and adaptive skills.” While much money and effort keeps pouring into genetics and pharmaceuticals, finding preventative opportunities, such as with prenatal chemical exposures, could have an even greater individual and societal impact. In this study, the chemical exposures at work for both mom and dad were compared to later cognitive symptoms and outcomes for their children. It could also open up avenues to lessen the impact of children already affected.
The losses for those with moderate to severe autism and for their families can be profound, even though many are able to have fruitful and abundant lives with mild to moderate forms. Even if not all autism can be reversed, the better we understand the mechanisms behind autism, the more we can help these children and adults live life to their fullest potential. Beyond the obvious autism diagnoses, we can also likely help many others who do not have a diagnosis but struggle with cognitive challenges by lowering everyone’s exposures to these chemicals. The effects of these chemicals on children with autism diagnoses are likely just the tip of a gigantic iceberg.
Before presenting their own research findings, the authors review prior studies linking environmental exposures to Autism:
- Bisphenol A
- Chromium, mercury, and nickel
- Lead and mercury
- P-cresol
- Polybrominated diphenyl ether-28 and trans-Nonachlor
- Solvents
Then, in this study, they looked at parental exposures to 16 different chemicals from 3 months prior to pregnancy up to birth in 500 families. Then they matched these exposures to rates of autism severity and their behaviors and cognitive skills. The most impactful chemicals in this study were plastics and polymers, ethylene oxide, and phenols. Effects were seen not only for maternal exposures but also for dads.
In the discussion portion of their paper, the authors discussed the potential sources of these chemicals for the parents. As expected, some worksites could expose parents to multiple chemicals simultaneously, and the same toxin could be found across multiple different work settings.
They also discussed potential mechanisms of action for various toxins. Some can disrupt brain development through endocrine disruption. Others can alter gene expression. Some can alter synaptic plasticity. Some can raise oxidative stress and inflammation.
These neurotoxic effects have been found to result in learning deficits, memory changes, alterations in social interaction, and ADHD from other research. Thus, we can draw a line from chemical to observed biochemical changes to symptoms for many of these substances.
Reading the full article will offer many more details and rabbit trails to pursue, but the gist is still the same. Both parents need to consider their toxic load as they are looking to conceive. This study does not look at preventions or interventions, but common sense would suggest that doing what one can do to lower exposure and decrease the toxic load prior to conception holds hope for improving their next generation’s cognitive outcomes. Helping our patient families pursue healthier, more abundant lives for themselves and their children requires thinking ahead and taking action now. Sure, we see children with autism improve after diagnosis with detox, but so much suffering could be avoided for parent and child if we can better prevent it from ever occurring.
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Original Article:
Erin C. McCanlies, Ja Kook Gu, Claudia C. Ma, Wayne T. Sanderson, Yunin J. Ludeña-Rodriguez, Irva Hertz-Picciotto, The effects of parental occupational exposures on autism spectrum disorder severity and skills in cognitive and adaptive domains in children with autism spectrum disorder, International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, Volume 268, 2025, 114613, ISSN 1438-4639, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114613.
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.
Dr. Eric Potter graduated from Vanderbilt Medical School and then went on to specialize in internal medicine (adult) and pediatric care, spending significant time and effort in growing his medical understanding while caring for patients from all walks of life.
