older paternal age is associated with the severe form of autism, daughter more likely to be affected by older paternal age but it is not statistically significant.

i read a study on this over the summer-- paternal age also affects down syndrome.

My Dad was around his mid-40s (not quite sure, his birth certificate was junked by the Chinese commies) when he got my Mom pregnant with me, and I have Asperger's Syndrome.

Yes, it does 50% of Down syndrome is caused by the father's age when parents are over 40. At 35 the father's age begins to up Down syndrome risk. Up to 1/3 of all schizophrenia is due to the age of the father. The risk of non-familial diabetes1, Alzheimer's, MS, prostate cancer, and even some pre-menopausal breast cancer is higher in offspring of older fathers.
If you look you will see research showing that risk of hemophila, Duchennes Muscular Dystroply, Fragile X, retinoblastoma and many other genetic disorders rise
when the mother's father was 35 or older at her birth.

It really would be great if everybody knew about this.
Thanks dfskey for commenting!

Hi Torley,

My father was 49 when I was born and I am not well at all. It would be great if people knew the risks that they were subjecting their children to when they father at 35 and above, and especially mid 40s and above. I believe wholeheartedly in the wisdom of banking semen in ones mid to late 20s. First people have to learn about the male biological clock.

Thank you so much for commenting.