FRESNO, CA (KMJ) There is new evidence pointing to California wildfires possibly posing an increased risk of childhood autism.
A study published this week in the journal Environmental Science & Technology is the first to examine a potential link between prenatal wildfire smoke exposure and autism.
Researchers analyzed health records of more than 200,000 births in Southern California from 2006 through 2014. California led the US in both acres burned by wildfire and rates of childhood autism diagnoses between those years.
According to the study, the increased risk was strongest when mothers were exposed to wildfire smoke during the third trimester. And the numbers support the theory.
The risk of autism diagnosis was about 10% higher for children whose mothers experienced 1 to 5 smokey days in the third trimester, 12% higher with 6 to 10 days and 23% higher with more than 10 days.
