Link between pesticide and autism?

A study by the California Department of Public Health has determined that women exposed to high levels of a certain type of pesticide were up to six times more likely to give birth to autistic children. Researchers for the state investigated the experiences of 465 autistic children from 19 counties, comparing their experiences with a control group of 7,000 children. They found that the autistic children were more likely to have been born to women who lived close to fields treated with organochlorines, the only pesticide that reflected a link to autism. The scientists were careful to note that their conclusions are tentative, demanding further work. But it could prove a break in a lengthy and often frustrating search for the cause of a growing health problem.

- check out the report from the San Jose Mercury News

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