http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_802126.html?menu=news.lifestyle.parenthood

Ananova:

The surge in autism that fuelled fears of a link with the MMR vaccine may never have occurred.

Researchers say the huge increase in incidence seen since 1979 may simply be the result of more awareness and better record keeping.

Professor Brent Taylor and colleagues from the Royal Free and University College Medical School in London argue the apparent rise is not "real" and goes hand-in-hand with the MMR scare.

Writing in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, they said the increase in incidence was probably due to "increased recognition, a greater willingness to accept the diagnostic label, and better recording systems".

In 2001, the Autism Research Unit at the University of Sunderland reported a tenfold increase in autism rates over the previous decade.

This and other findings have heightened fears the autism might be linked to the measles, mumps, rubella multiple vaccine.

Government health experts insist there is no proven link, and warned parents not to put their children at risk by refusing to give them the MMR jab.

The new findings are based on a follow-up of 567 London autistic children born between 1979 and 1998.

The children had been the subject of previous research by Professor Taylor's team which indicated that the numbers of new cases had increased year-on-year between 1979 and 1992.

But later data collected by the researchers showed that this rise had stopped. The most recent figures revealed a levelling out of 45 to 50 reported cases a year between 1992 and 1996 - equivalent to 2.6 cases for every 1,000 live births. The age at which children were diagnosed with autism had also been falling since 1985.

Story filed: 07:26 Tuesday 22nd July 2003

Copyright © 2003 Ananova Ltd