CDC launches multi-state autism study, $5.9 million awarded to five sites

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CDC launches multi-state autism study, $5.9 million awarded to five

sites

News services

ATLANTA -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is

initiating a multi-state collaborative study to help identify

factors that may put children at risk for autism spectrum disorders

(ASDs) and other developmental disabilities. Approximately 2,700

children, ages 2 to 5, and their parents will be part of this study.

CDC has awarded a total of $5.9 million to five sites -- Kaiser

Foundation Research Institute in California, Colorado Department of

Public Health and Environment, s Hopkins University in land,

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of

Pennsylvania. These sites make up the Centers for Autism and

Developmental Disabilities Research and Epidemiology (CADDRE)

Network. CDC will also be participating in the study, and will

include children and their parents from the metropolitan Atlanta

area.

" We hope this national study will help us learn more about the

characteristics of children with ASDs, factors associated with

developmental delays, and how genes and the environment may affect

child development, " said Dr. F. Cordero, assistant surgeon

general and director of CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and

Developmental Disabilities.

In this five-year study, The National CADDRE Study: Child

Development and Autism, a number of factors will be studied for

their potential association with ASDs, including:

• infections or abnormal responses to infections in the child,

mother or father

• genetic factors in the child, mother and father

• mother's reproductive history

• abnormal hormone function in the child, mother or father

• gastrointestinal problems in the child

• family history of medical and developmental problems

• smoking, alcohol and drug use in pregnancy, and

• parent's occupation and other socio-demographic factors.

The information will be obtained by conducting interviews and exams,

reviewing medical records, collecting cheek swabs, and blood and

hair sampling.

" By conducting the study in six different geographic areas across

the country with diverse populations and by identifying children

from multiple sources in each community, we hope to have a study

sample that more closely represents children with ASDs, other

developmental problems, and typical development across the country, "

added Cordero.

The CADDRE Network was established following the Children's Health

Act of 2000 that directed CDC to establish regional centers of

excellence for ASD and other developmental disabilities.

ASDs are lifelong developmental disabilities characterized by

repetitive behaviors and social and communication problems. ASD

includes autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder -- not

otherwise specified (PDD- NOS, including atypical autism), and

Asperger syndrome. People with ASD have significant impairments in

social and communication skills, and unusual behaviors or interests.

Many people with ASD also have unusual ways of learning, paying

attention, or reacting to different sensations. ASD can be diagnosed

as early as 18 months and lasts throughout a person's life.

[Guest guest]

This drives me crazy, in my experience enviromental infulences and

over exposure to neurotoxins as well as the bodys own suseptibilities.

Gastrointestinal distress, in terms of behavior. Aspergers as a

mindset isn't necessary to change or eradicate. As anything autism (a

degenetrive brain disorder) something that inhibits learning and

independant life, requires answers. The cdc may look for scapegoats

to draw attention away from environmental triggers. As much as people

think this is voodoo the commerical food suppliers may have to concede

that tampering with nutrition in favor of convience and longer shelf

life has an effect on human beings as well as shooting neurotoxins

into developing bodies.

As the enviromentalist this should make sense I have scientific

evidence to back up my claims. Foods are FOOD. This is what can harm

and heal you. In a recent u.s.news article. The President of the

UNITED STATES only eats organic. I wonder why that is??