Siblings of kids with autism have a higher risk of being diagnosed with the disorder than previously believed, suggests a new study. The analysis of more than 600 three-year-olds with an older autistic sibling found that almost one in five of them had an autism spectrum disorder, which includes Asperger’s syndrome and similar conditions. That suggests pediatricians need to keep an extra eye on those siblings, even as toddlers -- because early interventions with therapy and extra support might help keep their symptoms to a minimum, researchers said.
