Infantile autism: a total population study of reduced optimality in the pre-, peri-, and neonatal period.

Twenty-five autistic children, constituting a total population sample of children with infantile autism, were compared with 25 sex- and maternity-clinic-matched controls for occurrence of reduced optimality in the pre-, peri, and neonatal period, as noted in medical records. Autistic children showed greatly increased scores for reduced optimality, especially with regard to prenatal factors. The findings are at odds with early reports that children with autism had not suffered potential brain injury. The reasons for the discrepancy are discussed.