February 16, 2009.  The United States Court of Claims ruled that there is no correlation between childhood vaccines and autism.  The legal ruling comes after several well-credentialed studies that had debunked the link between autism and childhood vaccinations. 

Psychologists define autism as a disorder characterized by deficiencies in communication and social interactions.  Symptoms of autism include difficulties in both language and socialialization skills.  Deficits in these areas can range from mild to severe and, for reasons still debated, has been on the increase, particulary in male children.  

The underlying cause seems to be genetic in nature and appears to stem from problems in the child's brain circuitry involving neurons that enable communication between different parts of the brain.  

We hope that this ruling can provide some comfort and reassurance to parents of autistic children who are unsure about our country's vaccination program. 

One out of every 150 children is diagnosed with autism, a tenfold increase since 1980.  For the latest information on studies on autism, visit the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) located in Bethesda, MD.