posted Sep 8, 2010, 10:51 AM by Sarah Glazer
The number of children diagnosed with the baffling brain disorder
has skyrocketed, with some states seeing sixfold increases in recent
years. Many parents blame vaccines for the explosion in autism, which
causes bizarre repetitive behavior and an inability to establish
emotional ties. Responding to parents' lawsuits against vaccine makers,
Congress is attempting to craft legislation that protects drug companies
while compensating families. But some experts say better diagnosis
could explain autism's apparent rise. Researchers are still teasing out
the role of genetics and the environment in their search for autism's
cause. Meanwhile, school districts across the country face the daunting
prospect of providing federally mandated special instruction -- at a
yearly cost of up to $60,000 per pupil -- to growing numbers of
children.
CQ Researcher Increase in Autism v.13-23 |
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