Father’s Age Is Linked to Risk of Autism and Schizophrenia

[Steely Dan]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/23/h...?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120823

Father’s Age Is Linked to Risk of Autism and Schizophrenia
By BENEDICT CAREY
Published: August 22, 2012

Older men are more likely than young ones to father a child who develops autism or schizophrenia, because of random mutations that become more numerous with advancing paternal age, scientists reported on Wednesday, in the first study to quantify the effect as it builds each year. The age of mothers had no bearing on the risk for these disorders, the study found....

 

[Steely Dan]

I wonder if engineers, as a group, have children at a later age than the average couple? That might explain the engineer connection.

 

[lizzybeth]

Thanks for posting this. My son just turned 26 and is in the engineering field. His wife would like to have kids right away and he wants to wait. Maybe this article will help me get some grandbabies sooner (LOL).

Seriously, it is interesting to find out that a father's age does have some bearing on the baby's health (mental or physical). For so long it was always about the mother's age. I wonder if a man is a substance abuser it has any effect on the baby?

Off to see if there have been any studies on that.