A Child Has Been Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

A child has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) . The distraught mother cries out, "I'm such a terrible mother. What did I do to cause this?" Which nursing reply is most appropriate?

A) "Researchers really don't know what causes autistic disorder, but the relationship between autistic disorder and fetal alcohol syndrome is being explored."
B) "Poor parenting doesn't cause autism. Research has shown that abnormalities in brain structure and/or function are to blame. This is beyond your control."
C) "Research has shown that the mother appears to play a greater role in the development of this disorder than does the father."
D) "Lack of early infant bonding with the mother has shown to be a cause of autistic disorder. Did you breastfeed or bottle feed?"