study: Earliest intervention, genetic and environmental factors: Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation, or EARLI

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Earliest intervention.

<http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/sun-magazine/bs-sm-autism-research-20\

110325,0,6630680.story>

Young land families are opening up their lives to Hopkins

researchers seeking to determine how a combination of genetic and

environmental factors might contribute to autism, even before birth.

When Ginny Russo goes into labor sometime at the end of May, her first

call will be to her doctor. Her second: to the researchers who want to

collect her baby's placenta, umbilical cord blood and first dirty diaper.

They're part of the same crew that, during the course of her pregnancy,

came to Russo's Carroll County home to vacuum (and take what got sucked

up with them), collect dust samples and poke their noses inside her

cabinets and closets, making note of cleaning supplies, hair products

and other chemicals on hand. They also took blood and urine samples and

had Russo check in regularly to report any medicines she was taking,

what she was eating, whether she was wearing sunscreen.

Researchers in a national study are interested in all of this because

Russo already has a child, one with autism....