CDC Website

[Guest guest]

I was just visiting the CDC website and thought you might like to see

the current focus of their attention. (Don't worry, you won't have

to dig to find it.) Fear mongering may be effective, yet is a

tenuous foundation upon which to build lasting trust.

http://www.cdc.gov/

And the " This Week in MMWR " page - May 5, 2006 / Vol. 55 / No. 17

(No mention of the survey results regarding autism and yet autism is

the subject of this week's TIME cover story)

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/

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http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/121/114419.htm?pagenumber=2

" We recognize that parents want answers, " Cordero says. " They want to

know how to protect their children; what can they do to help them

stay healthy. If children have autism, parents want to know what

caused it, the most effective treatments, and how can they lower

their risk if they plan to have other children.

" This is perfectly understandable, " Cordero says. " We share the

frustration about not having more answers about the causes and cure

of autism. "

" The major challenge we have right now is early recognition, and I

think that these data do point out that we have a major problem with

that, and that's why it's so important to educate both pediatricians

and ... parents about the early signs of autism, " Cordero says.

- Cordero, MD, MPH, director, National Center on Birth

Defects and Developmental Disabilities, CDC

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