Anew survey in the United States suggests that more than one percent of all children there have been identified as having autism or two related disorders by the age of 8. The survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that more children and parents may need help in coping with these disorders in their schools and communities.
The surveys say nothing about the disorder’s cause. Some parents continue to blame vaccines taken in childhood, but a wide range of research has firmly exonerated vaccines as the cause. The surveys showed that the median age at which children were first identified with the disorders was 4 — at least two years later than when most experts recommend autism screening. The earlier therapy begins, the better the chances the child will benefit. — Excerpts from the New York Times editorial