Origins of Autism and related (genetic?)

Looking at my own family history on both sides of my family, I’ve often wondered what the real causes of Autism and related conditions are, being a history buff and realising that Queen Victoria was reputed to be a carrier (possibly from George III) of certain conditions going further back and later on, affecting the Russian Czars - I know that my parents had huge childhood traumas before they met and married in thier respective childhoods, rendering them unsuitable for Marraige, relationships, friendships and bringing children into the world, which was why they were not allowed to have any more children after I was born and where their own marriage was strongly disapproved of - I know that my grandparents respective  marraiges were disapproved of by my grandmothers’ respective families for a variety of reasons at that time, which this disapproval of marriage caused friction and discord within my grandparents own marraiges when both of my parents were children and which caused my parents as children to become traumatised from this marital disharmony, aside from any other influences - I’ve often wondered if the cause of Autism and related conditions is genetic? 

Parents Reply
  • The advanced age of parents at the time of conception (say 30 and above) also seems to be a factor, as most Irish people in the 1950’s & 1960’s waited until these ages to get married and have children, in line with Catholic Social Teaching that dominated Irish society for a very long time due to the powerful influence of the Catholic Church in Ireland  for decades 

Children
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