The purpose of this study is to determine whether by administering vitamin D to mothers who already have at least one child with autism and who are pregnant, that the vitamin D will prevent the recurrence of autism in the newborn sibling.
The incidence of autism is increasing. Also, women of childbearing age are increasingly found to be insufficient/deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D is a neurohormone which is important for development of the child, especially of the child's brain. The primary source of vitamin D is from the sun through one's skin. People have been avoiding the sun because of skin cancer, because of increasing Television watching, computer viewing and wearing clothes that cover most of the body. This approach will study whether making the pregnant mother, whose child is at risk for autism because of a previous child with autism, replete with vitamin D will prevent that recurrence of autism in the newborn sibling.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
20
5000 IU D3 capsule oral/day for entire pregnancy. 7000 IU D3/day during breastfeeding. If not breast feeding, baby gets 400 IU D3/day. Baby increased to 1000 IU D3/day at one year of age.
Evergreen Center
Oregon City, Oregon, United States
Number of Children Who Developed Autism
The child will be screened by an Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (MCHAT) interview at 18 months of age, and by a questionnaire, the Pervasive Developmental Disorder Behavioral Inventory (PDDBI) at 3 years of age to determine whether the child has developed autism or not.
Time frame: Child assessed at 3 years of age
Number of Mothers Who Developed Side Effects From Vitamin D
Mother will be followed by blood and urine screening for hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria which is the primary side effects of too much vitamin D.
Time frame: During pregnancy and the 3 years of the child's development
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