Why Is Autism Rate So High For Somalis In Minn.?

Very interesting. Lots of autism stories in the news very recently. Michael Savage most notably. "Autism spectrum" is a phrase I keep hearing as well. Also see this timely recent column on autism from Thomas Sowell.

Immunizations, genetics, sunlight/vitamin D, something else? Immunizations are the suspect du jour when looking for answers to autism questions. Some autism experts such as Jenny McCarthy are convinced the problem is immunizations. (see her book)

Why Is Autism Rate So High For Somalis In Minn.?
"Out of 100 children in the Minneapolis Schools early childhood special education classroom program for autism, 25 percent of them are Somali. The district as a whole has only about 6 percent of students who speak or hear Somali language at home. "They are showing the more severe forms of autism, not the broad spectrum of autism that we see in our general population," said Harrington.
...
Perhaps the most troubling is that all of the Somali children the Minneapolis Schools have identified with autism were born here in Minneapolis, like Shaimake. The district doesn't have a single child born in Somalia who immigrated here receiving special education services for the disorder.

"I believe (it) is vaccination," said Osman when asked what she thinks is the reason for her son's autism. "In rural Somalia, there's no immunizations," said Farah.

She said parents like Osman in the Somali community all have questions about immunizations. She said they worry not only about the vaccinations their kids receive, but about the immunizations they themselves received before entering the U.S. "When Somali parents come from the refugee camps, some of them get immunizations within those camps regardless of whether it's in Ethiopia or Kenya or other countries," said Farah.

She added that because of poor recordkeeping in those camps, some Somalis receive the same vaccinations three and four times.
...
Doctors in Sweden are calling for research on another possible cause of autism that could hold answers for the Somali community in Minnesota. Sweden has a high incidence rate of autism in its Somali children as well. Doctors there are wondering if, for Somali people, a lack of sunlight in the winter, the widespread use of sunscreen, and efforts to avoid sun exposure are resulting in too little vitamin D being absorbed through their dark skin. They theorize that a lack of vitamin D, possibly in conjunction with genetic or environmental factors, could be a cause of the disorder. They're calling for an official study."

Misc.:
Google search for : "autism disability SSI"
The state of Pennsylvania has an entire site for autism resources