Cerebral Palsy

The number of cases is on the rise worldwide.

The U.S.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, using data collected from 14 states, recently raised last year's estimate of prevalence among schoolchildren of one in 165 to one in 150.(The numbers are even more alarming if broken down by gender.

The prevalence of ASDs among boys is four times that of girls.)According to the Autism Society of Canada, the most recent studies have shown that the prevalence of autism has increased in Canada to 60 per 10,000 from the previous estimate of 40 per 10,000 - or about 190,000 Canadians.

The current prevalence nationwide is estimated to be more than 1 in 200 people, while the current prevalence in children is one in 165, or roughly .6 per cent.

That matches exactly the prevalence in the B.C.

school system.With numbers like that, the word "epidemic" invariably gets thrown around.

The numbers suggest a real and exponential growth beyond normal population growth rates.

Many parents especially believe this to be the case, and are convinced there is a causality link between vaccinations and autism, for example, or some other environmental trigger.

But is it an epidemic?

Most scientists and physicians aren't so sure.

Numerous studies have shown no statistical evidence, for example, of a link between vaccinations containing mercury and ASD numbers.An exhaustive study published in 2006 by Dr.

Eric Fombonne of Montreal's McGill Universi...

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