Genetic Counseling and ASDs Katie Voss, ScM, CGC Date First
Published: September 21, 2010 In recent years, it has become
ever more evident that genetic factors play a role in autism
spectrum disorders (ASDs), although environmental factors may
also be involved. What information or support can genetic
counselors offer families with a child on the autism spectrum?
What is Genetic Counseling? The profession of genetic counseling
developed in tandem with the larger field of genetics, which
aims to understand how inherited factors contribute to a
person's development. Genetic counseling answered the clear need
for someone who could explain complex genetic conditions in
terms a regular person could understand, and who also could help
people cope with whatever the implications of a genetic
condition in the family might be. Genetic counseling can be
provided by any professional who offers genetic testing to a
family, diagnoses a child with a condition that has a genetic
component, or thinks a child may be at risk for