(No subject)

[Guest guest]

CDC Finances Study Into Causes of Autism

By MIKE STOBBE, AP Medical Writer

Fri Oct 6, 8:37 PM

ATLANTA - The largest federal study to date into the causes of autism

was announced Friday _ a multi-state investigation that will involve

2,700 young children.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and five other

research centers will study the youngsters over five years. The

research is designed to ferret out any genetic and environmental

factors that may contribute to autism.

" The CDC hasn't funded a study like this (before), " said

Schendel, the CDC lead health scientist who is overseeing the Georgia

research.

But some parents of autistic children say the CDC _ which promotes

childhood vaccinations _ is not interested in fully exploring

vaccinations as a potential cause.

" We don't want the CDC to do anything. We don't trust them, " said

Fournier, president of the National Autism Association.

Autism is a complex disorder usually not diagnosed in children until

after age 3. Symptoms can include repetitive behaviors such as head-

banging, avoiding physical or eye contact with others, and

communicating with gestures rather than words.

In 2000, Congress directed federal health officials to increase

research into autism. The law prompted a series of CDC studies,

including prevalence research released in May that found 300,000 U.S.

children have been diagnosed with autism.

The new study will recruit 900 children diagnosed with autism, 900

with undefined or other developmental problems, and 900 randomly

selected youngsters.

Those studied will be ages 2 to 5, in part because health records and

memories will be more complete, Schendel said.

That decision will limit the study's ability to assess the past

impact of vaccinations that contain the mercury-based preservative

thimerosal, she acknowledged. Since 2001, thimerosal has been removed

from shots recommended for young children.

Fournier's group suspects that ingredient is a leading cause of the

disorder, although past research suggests it is not.

Researchers will examine the medical records of the children and

their parents, and will take cheek swabs and blood and hair samples,

Schendel said.

The CDC awarded the other participating institutions $5.9 million for

the study. They are the Kaiser Foundation Research Institute in

California, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment,

s Hopkins University in land, the University of North

Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Pennsylvania.

Until Friday's announcement, the largest federal study to focus

specifically on autism's causes was research sponsored by the

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, looking at 1,000

California children ages 2 to 5. That study is still in progress.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This

material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.