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Recently autism has been in the news on a daily basis. With a large increase in the numbers of cases—one in 166 live births, as the most recent statistic—health authorities have undertaken significant studies related to the etiologies of autism. Characterized by multiple deficits in the areas of communication, development and behavior; autistic children are found in every community in this country and abroad. Recent findings point to a significant increase in autism, which cannot be accounted for by means such as misclassification. The state of California recently reported a 273 percent increase in the number of cases between 1987 and 1998. Estimates now hover around the four through 20 per 100,000 children. Recent findings from the MIND Institute at the University of California at Davis states that, ‘‘The unprecedented increase in autism in California is real and cannot be explained away by artificial factors, such as misclassification and criteria changes, according to the results of a large statewide epidemiological study.”

Many causes of autism have been postulated, ranging from environmental and toxicological causes to genetics. The most current thinking including that of many members of the U.S. Congress and others is that vaccination, and specifically the mercury-based preservative in the vaccines, is causing brain damage in children resulting in autism. Conflicting findings have prevailed in the literature with respect to the potential of vaccines as a causative factor in autism. Certain findings, such as those of Andrew Wakefield, have pointed to a live measles virus in the GI tracts of children with autism. Some studies have confirmed his findings, others have disputed it. Further, there are many anecdotal reports of regressive autism following administration of one or more vaccinations. Other parents report developmental problems from birth pointing to autism.

Read the full report here.