By Kerry Fehr-Snyder
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 2, 2003

The Valley will be one of the first areas in the country to count the number of children with autism as part of a project funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The autism-surveillance study will assess the extent of the fast-growing neurological disorder by determining how many 8-year-old children had autism-spectrum disorders in Maricopa County in 2000. That includes Asperger syndrome and other autismlike disorders that affect up to 1.5 million Americans, including 5,000 in Arizona schools.

"There's a lot of interest in finding out what the real prevalence is of autism in children over time," said F. John Meaney, a University of Arizona pediatrics professor and project researcher.

To be considered autistic, children must have language problems, repetitive behaviors and trouble socializing, said Sydney Pettygrove, an epidemiologist who also is working on the project. That definition is being used by the CDC and 12 states to quantify the disorder. Four of those states also are looking for causes.

Although some parents suspect childhood vaccinations are to blame, Dr. Chris Cunniff, a fellow researcher, said there is no scientific evidence to support that.

Raun Melmed, a developmental pediatrician and co-founder of the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center, said the autism survey is long overdue.

"I'm tired of parents sitting in my office wanting answers (about the incidence rate and causes)," he said.

For legislators funding vocational programs needed by autistic residents, the survey will show "there's a huge group of children who are going to need services," Melmed added.