Pediatricians call for 2 autism checks by age 2

Disorder affects 1 in 150 in U.S.
October 29, 2007 BY LINDSEY TANNER

The country's leading pediatricians group is making its strongest push yet to have all children screened for autism twice by age 2, warning of symptoms such as babies who don't babble at 9 months and 1-year-olds who don't point to toys. The advice is meant to help parents and doctors spot autism sooner. There is no cure for the disorder, but experts say early therapy can lessen its severity. Symptoms to watch for and the call for early screening are being released by the American Academy of Pediatrics at its annual meeting in San Francisco.

Experts say one in 150 U.S. kids have the developmental disorder.

Bonnie - instead of focusing on early detection, why isn't the AA of P focusing on finding the cause(s). Aren't children's physicians just a little alarmed that in the span of 25 years, the numbers went from 1 child in 10,000 being autistic to 1 in 150? So if their "pat" answer has always been that doctors are detecting it quicker and more efficiently, then I guess we don't need better screening techniques. Let's put that money towards the culprit(s)!