Adolescence is a time of exceptional physical health juxtaposed against significant psychosocial and weight-related problems. The study included 241, 10-to-13-year-old youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD, N = 138) or typical development (TD, N = 103). Standardized exams measured pubertal development, height (HT), weight (WT), heart rate (HR),…

Secondary data analyses from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children Kindergarten cohort were performed to understand any alterations in pubertal timing in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in a population sample. Timing of parent-reported pubertal events (ages 8-9, 10-11, 12-13 years), and self-report (14-15 years; N = 3454 no ASD, N = 94 with…

We investigated the relationship between autistic-like traits in early childhood and age at menarche in typically developing girls. Autistic-like symptoms were measured at age 2 years using the Child Behaviour Checklist, and age at menarche (AAM) was determined prospectively using self-report questionnaires at age 8, 10, 14 and 17 years. Girls…

It is not known whether reproductive factors early in the mother's life influence risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We assessed maternal age at menarche, menstrual cycle characteristics during adolescence, oral contraceptive use prior to first birth, body shape, and body mass index (BMI) in association with ASD using binomial regression in…