Major U.S. Autism Study Gets Under Way

Major U.S. Autism Study Gets Under Way
FRIDAY, Nov. 16 (HealthDay News) -- A large, five-year studylooking at the genetic and environmental factors that may cause autism, aswell as other developmental delays, has started enrolling 2,700 childrenand their families from six areas in the United States.
The Study to Explore Early Development -- which researchers called thelargest of its kind -- will include children with autism and otherdevelopmental delays, as well as children with normal development.
Family medical history, genetics, and sociodemographic, lifestyle andenvironmental factors will be among the areas of focus in the study.Information will be gathered through interviews, physical examinations,medical records and cheek swab, blood and hair samples.
"We hope this will help us learn more about the factors that may leadto autism and other developmental disabilities, and how genes and theenvironment may affect child development," Lisa A. Croen, principalinvestigator at a site in California, said in a prepared statement.
"The results may also contribute to better services and treatments foraffected children and to prevention strategies," said Croen, anepidemiologist with Kaiser Permanente's Division of Research in Oakland,Calif.
It's not understood why, but the incidence of autism is increasing andnow affects about one in 150 children born in the U.S. The chronicdisorder affects the normal functioning of the brain and affectsdevelopment of communication and social skills.