Question

A child has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The distraught mother cries out, "I'm such a terrible mother. What did I do to cause this?" Which nursing reply is most appropriate?

1) Researchers really don't know what causes autistic disorder, but the relationship between autistic disorder and fetal alcohol syndrome is being explored.
2) Poor parenting doesn't cause autism. Research has shown that abnormalities in brain structure and/or function are to blame. This is beyond your control.
3) Research has shown that the mother appears to play a greater role in the development of this disorder than the father.
4) Lack of early infant bonding with the mother has shown to be a cause of autistic disorder. Did you breastfeed or bottle-feed?

Answer 1

The best nursing response to reassure the mother would be to explain that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not caused by poor parenting, but is linked to brain structure and function, and that the precise causes of ASD are complex and beyond parental control.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most appropriate response to a mother who is distressed about her child's diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) would be to reassure her and provide factual information about the condition. Therefore, the correct answer is:

"Poor parenting doesn't cause autism. Research has shown that abnormalities in brain structure and/or function are to blame. This is beyond your control."

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder where causes are largely unknown, apart from well-characterized genetic forms like Fragile X and Rett's Syndrome. Current research suggests that various genes and mutations may contribute to the disorder, indicating that it is not caused by parental behavior or choices about early infant care, such as breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. Importantly, scientific evidence does not support the claim that vaccines are responsible for ASD. The increase in ASD diagnosis corresponds with improved awareness and does not imply causation by vaccines or other simplistic environmental factors.

It's critical to underline that while ASD is indeed increasing in diagnosis rates, the reasons behind this growth are complex and multifaceted, involving genetics, brain structure and function, and possibly other environmental elements not yet fully understood. What is clear is that autism is a disorder present from early in life that affects how brains process information, and it is not the fault of the parenting one has provided.