Is anything suspected to cause autism spectrum disorder in children?

Yes...suspected: Not proven. There is a gene on chromosome 16 that may contribute. Heavy metal toxicity may contribute. Demyelination of nerves in the central nervous system can lead to it as can brain inflammation. There is no causal link to vaccines, but they are still suspect in the clinical experience of many parents and practitioners.

Many Theories: Sometimes a suspected genetic mutation is thought to be at fault. Sometimes experts feel the child has some type of unknown metabolic weakness of the immune system or unknown enzyme, then 1 or 2 or 3 insults to their system occur and it creates disorder in their neurochemical make up. Cdc claims vaccines are 'perfectly safe', others dispute this claim. More research is clearly needed.

Sometimes : There are genetic syndromes known to include a high probability of autism and intellectual disability; newer genetic testing techniques reveal abnormalities in ~15% of people with autism. Environmental factors that change the function, but not the structure, of genes may play a role.Triggers that can cause the expression of certain genes as autistic behaviors after birth are the subject of debate.