Re: [Autism-Mercury] The prevalence of autism has risen tenfold over the past de

[Guest guest]

The prevalence of autism has risen tenfold over the past decade. Much of this

increase is related to improved recognition, driven by treatment research

reporting significant improvements in outcome with early intervention.

However, a significant proportion of the increase is due to a real increase

in the number of children being born with autism.

The only thing I Personally know that has changed in the last 10 years is HEP

B required at birth.

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Applauds Formation of Congressional

Caucus on Autism

Caucus to Raise Awareness of Autism, Respond to Major Issues,

And Expand Research Funding

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The establishment today of a

congressional caucus on autism represents a landmark for a disorder that,

according to researchers and parents of children with autism, has been

virtually ignored for the past 50 years.

U.S. Reps. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) and (R-N.J.) announced the

formation of the congressional Coalition for Autism Research and Education

(C.A.R.E.) this afternoon in Washington, along with parent activists and some

of the nation's top autism researchers.

The formation of C.A.R.E. by Congressmen Doyle and is a landmark in the

history of autism. For the first time in 50 years, autism is being recognized

as a serious public health concern in need of a serious response. Under the

guise of the caucus, legislators, parents and researchers will unite in their

efforts on behalf of autism. The overall goals of the caucus are to bring

parents, professionals, and legislators together to address the issues of

major concern in autism so that solutions can be developed, raise the

awareness and understanding of autism within Congress, expand federal

research funding by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and find ways to

reduce the disability associated with autism.

" The formation of C.A.R.E. is a positive and crucial first step in expanding

autism research, " stated Rep. Doyle. " Families all across America are facing

the challenges of raising children and loved ones who are autistic. It is

time for the federal government to help facilitate the discussion surrounding

causes and cures for this disorder as well as recognize the need for federal

funding for further, more advanced research. "

" C.A.R.E. is a monumental accomplishment of the parents of children with

autism who have worked tirelessly over the past six to seven years to gain

recognition for autism. To use the words of parents, this disorder robs their

children of the capacity to experience emotions, to be social, to

communicate, and to make sense of the world, " said Minshew, M.D.,

associate professor of psychiatry and neurology, University of Pittsburgh

School of Medicine.

Autism most often presents gradually, making itself obvious during the second

year of life, but it may also have a sudden onset. Early treatment can help

as can autism-appropriate intervention throughout life, but the residual

disability is frequently substantial.

Parents of children with autism began their lobbying effort about seven years

ago. This resulted in NIH convening a conference in 1995, called State of the

Science in Autism. This conference ultimately led to the decision by Dr.

Duane , the director of the National Institute of Child Health and

Human Development (NICHD), to fund a $12 million-per-year network of 10

research programs to investigate the genetics and neurobiology of autism.

This network, which brought together senior researchers in autism and

outstanding researchers from other fields to focus on discovering the

biologic basis of autism, was the first major investment by the NIH in autism

research and remains the largest single autism-specific project funded by

NIH.

The network links 25 universities throughout the United States and four

foreign countries and provides a mechanism for a rapid research response to

public health issues such as secretin as a possible cure for autism and now

the relationship of measles vaccination to regressive autism.

One of the top programs in this network is the University of Pittsburgh-

Carnegie Mellon University Collaborative Program of Excellence in Autism

directed by Dr. Minshew and Carpenter, Ph.D., Gregg Professor of

Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University. The second wave of parent lobbying

resulted in the introduction and passage of the Pediatric Health Act, which

became law in October of 2000. This bill was sponsored by Congressman ,

whose attention was drawn to autism by the large cluster of children in Brick

Township, N.J. This cluster was investigated by the Centers for Disease

Control (CDC) and the prevalence of autism was found to be one out of every

150 children born. This is higher than the commonly quoted figure of one in

500, but the CDC felt that that the prevalence in Brick Township may be a

more accurate reflection of the actual rate of occurrence of autism in the

United States. The prevalence of autism has risen tenfold over the past

decade. Much of this increase is related to improved recognition, driven by

treatment research reporting significant improvements in outcome with early

intervention. However, a significant proportion of the increase is due to a

real increase in the number of children being born with autism.

The Pediatric Health Act directs NIH to establish five comprehensive autism

centers, each of which is to have a clinical, educational outreach and

research component. The new law also requires the CDC to start five

epidemiologic centers to determine the prevalence of autism spectrum

disorders in the United States. Autism spectrum disorder is the general term

for a family of closely related disorders sharing the same quality and type

of symptoms. This group of disorders is also formally called pervasive

developmental disorders.

According to Dr. Minshew, because federal funding for autism has lagged far

behind that devoted to other disorders, progress in all aspects of diagnosis,

treatment and basic research - the foundation of improved treatments of the

future - has been slowed. To counter this, one of the first jobs of the

autism caucus will be to monitor NIH's progress in establishing the new

comprehensive centers while maintaining the 10 Collaborative Programs of

Excellence in Autism that now exist. That action, according to Dr. Minshew,

will honor the intent of parents and of the new legislation for NIH to

substantially expand autism research.

The priority given to research by C.A.R.E. reflects the confidence that

defining the genetics and neurobiology of autism will result in radically

improved new treatments for autism.

In her remarks in Washington, Dr. Minshew stated, " Today we are here because

we want autism to be at the forefront of the medical revolution. For 50

years, autism and families were ignored, research received little funding and

progress was slow. Now, thanks to recent legislation, we can look forward to

the addition of at least five comprehensive autism centers by the National

Institute of Mental Health and five epidemiologic centers by the Centers for

Disease Control to NICHD's network of 10 research programs. It is now

realistic to think in terms of cures, not tomorrow and not in 10 years, but

in the lifetimes of children born with autism today. "

CONTACT: Craig Dunhoff, , or dunhoffcc@..., or

Rossi, , or RossiL@..., both of UPMC.

SOURCE University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

CO: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; Coalition for Autism Research

and Education

ST: Pennsylvania, District of Columbia

IN: HEA

SU:

02/13/2001 14:39 EST http://www.prnewswire.com