Across the country there's outrage in much of the autism community.

That's because politicians have effectively killed lawsuits against pharmaceutical giants by inserting language in the Homeland Security Bill that protects the drug companies.

Video

Contact Joel DeSpain Part I: Watch it Read It Part II: Watch It Read It Part III Watch It Read It Wisconsin Early Autism Project

So far, there are no medical studies that prove childhood shots have anything to do autism, reports Joel DeSpain in part 2 of his special series on the neurological disorder autism.

But lots of parents are convinced there's a connection. Part II aired on "News 3 at Ten" on Nov. 20.

It's been hard for five-year-old Josie Wagnitz's parents to communicate with her, but she is working at sharpening language skills.

"In some cases, children will be able to use natural speech to communicate, in other cases a device, or something a little more complex, will ultimately be what the individual will use to socially engage and to converse with other people," said Jamie Murray-Branch, UW clinical instructor.

"It's hard to put in to words how difficult it's been," said dad Mike Wagnitz, who is a chemist, and like many parents, he's convinced childhood vaccinations -- many of which contained mercury until recently -- somehow triggered his daughter's autism.

Doctors don't always agree.

"Every study I've seen has really not shown that," said Dr. Tom Saari, professor of pediatrics at UW Physicians Plus.

Large numbers of respected pediatricians believe autism is brought on by genetics, and many don't believe there are actually more kids suffering from it, despite skyrocketing numbers.

"I'm not convinced in my own mind that that means there's been an actual increase in children who have autism," Saari said. "I think we've gotten better at diagnosing it."

Josie's parents don't buy it.

"A kid stops talking. They pull their hair out of their head. They smash their face. They totally lose contact with their surroundings," Wagnitz (pictured, right) said. "Are you telling me 10 years ago they couldn't have noticed this?"

He and his wife spent over $30,000 on Josie's medical bills last year because autism is considered a psychological disorder and much of the expense is out of pocket.

"That is the kiss of death," said Jeanie Muckian. "No insurance company will give you a dime for that diagnosis."

Muckian, an autism practitioner, left a hospital pediatric unit and is now part of a growing cottage industry treating kids outside of the HMO structure.

She says time constraints imposed by such organizations make it virtually impossible to help autistic kids, whose varied problems require a multitude of time intensive therapies.

"There are other doctors who won't even address the issue," Muckian said. "I remember I was examining a 10-year-old boy who had a lot of yeast. He had a lot of bacteria in his gut, and the mother started to cry, and I said, 'Why are you crying?' And she said, 'No one ... ' I'm going to start to cry ... 'No one has ever touched him before. Imagine having a 10-year-old child. Your child, that no practitioner would even touch. It's wrong."

Some doctors are rethinking the issue, and questioning whether environmental factors like mercury just might be triggering some autism in some susceptible children.

"Unfortunately to many colleagues this is a road to heresy, because it's not what we're taught," said pediatrician John Bohn. "But at some point, I realized we're all victims of what we are taught, and our experience, because I knew lots of things for sure which I know aren't true now because of new information."

At the UW's Waisman Center, autism researchers in fact now suspect there maybe any number of environmental triggers.

The Centers for Disease Control is investing $10 million with hopes of discovering what they are.

"I think that the future looks good because the resources are now being invested in the research that needs to be done," said Paul Shattuck, an autism researcher. "But that's not a comfort, frankly, for families with kids who need help right now."

"As she communicates better, she becomes less and less frustrated," Josie's dad said. "I'm bound and determined to make her well, and I'm not going to stop until I do."

While there is controversy over when and how to vaccinate kids, there seems to be consensus that immunizations are crucial to children's overall health.

In the third part of Joel's series, he reports on how parents are joining forces to fight autism.