Discovering Autism: Unraveling an Epidemic

First of a four-part series in The Los Angeles Times.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 1% of children across the country have some form of autism — 20 times the prevailing figure in the 1980s. The increase has stirred fears of an epidemic and mobilized researchers to figure out what causes the brain disorder and why it appears to be affecting so many more children.
Two decades into the boom, however, the balance of evidence suggests that it is more a surge in diagnosis than in disease.
Factors that have nothing to do with biology can explain much of the steep increase in cases around the world: an expanded definition of autism, spreading awareness of the disorder and an improved ability to distinguish it from other conditions.

Survey: More U.S. Children Get Vaccines

More young children are getting immunized in the United States for preventable diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella and hepatitis A, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Thursday.
Fears that vaccines might cause autism or other health problems have led some parents to skip vaccinations, despite repeated reassurances from health authorities.

Vaccine Debate Troubles Parents

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- For some people, vaccinating infants and children against preventable disease is a part of childhood, like baby teeth and tricycles.
But critics say vaccines cause more harm than good. Vaccinations can have dangerous physical side effects, they add.
Such conflicting messages can create a dilemma for parents as they wonder what to believe.
A national survey released in June of 376 households found that 80 percent of parents are uncomfortable getting their children vaccinated. Still, 95 percent said they would get the vaccinations.

Study Questions Toddler Autism Screening

NEW YORK -- There is no solid evidence to support screening toddlers for autism, a new study concludes.
It's estimated that autism spectrum disorders, which range from mild Asperger's Syndrome to severe mental retardation and social disability, affect nearly one percent of kids in the U.S., putting a significant burden on families and society at large.
Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourage routine screening for the disorders.
But the new report, a review of the medical literature, suggests those recommendations are premature.
"We don't have research evidence to show how well screening works and whether we do more good than harm," Dr. Jan Willem Gorter, a pediatrician at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, told Reuters Health.