Over the last decade, autism has gone from a rare and misunderstood condition to a disorder that may affect as many as 1.5 million Americans. Without a clear explanation in sight, parents and doctors have worked tirelessly to pinpoint the cause of autism, but the answer remains elusive. Are vaccines the missing link?
There are probably multiple causes of autism. In addition to the genetic factor, several other possibilities have been suggested, such as pesticides and other environmental toxins, maternal autoantibodies, prenatal infections and medications, parental age and mental illness, and childhood yeast or viral infections. Because the list is so extensive, autism warrants more research—not only focused on its cause and possible prevention but in its treatment.
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