CDC launches study to find causes of autism-post comment

[Guest guest]

Go to link and post a comment

http://tinyurl.com/ylj5ku

CDC launches study to find causes of autism

Atlanta to be included in five-year project

BY ALYSSA ABKOWITZ

Published 10.25.06

print email mail us RSS

click to enlarge

Gathany/CDC

X FACTOR: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will fund the

largest study to date on autism.

It's scary when one out of every 166 children is diagnosed with autism

and no one really knows what causes the disorder. But that might

change soon.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced it will

fund the largest study to date to explore the cause of autism. The

five-year undertaking will track approximately 2,700 children ages 2

to 5 in six parts of the country, including Atlanta, to hone in on the

factors that may contribute to the disorder.

" The study will give us a much better understanding of the

characteristics and prevalence of autism, " says Schendel, the

CDC lead scientist on the study. " And that could help us prevent it in

the future. "

Autism impairs a person's ability to interact and communicate

effectively. Individuals with the disorder often appear to be in their

own world or exhibit bizarre behaviors.

So far, scientists have only surmised that autism is caused by a

combination of genetic and environmental factors. Some parents and

health advocates believe the chief suspect is thimerosal, a

preservative that contains mercury that was once used in most

vaccines. However, recent studies have discounted that possibility,

leaving officials at a loss to explain how autism develops in children.

" These vaccines aren't preventions, " one protester remarked, " they're

poison. "

The study won't determine if mercury is a factor, though, because the

children are too young; thimerosal was phased out from most vaccines

by 2001. Schendel says the age group was capped at 5 because young

children will have the most recent medical records and their parents

will recall memories better.

To sift through factors of autism, researchers will conduct

interviews, review medical records and collect blood and hair samples.

Scientists hope to get started by early spring.

Heidi Fernandez, a Woodstock resident who has an autistic son, says

she hopes the study helps curb the growing autistic population.

" Any time we educate the community about autism it helps future

families and children, " she says. " Finally autism is getting the

attention that it needs. "

---------------------------------

Talk is cheap. Use Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates

starting at 1¢/min.