Nassau County officials are looking at a potential link between children vaccines and autism.

Legislator David Mejias and Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg are meeting today with parents of autistic children who claim the combination of vaccines given to young children can cause autism.

John Gilmore of Autism United says new research has indicated the link. He says a federal court ruled in favor of a 9 year old girl who began exhibiting autism symptoms immediately after receiving immunizations.

Data on the number of children affected has varied in different studies, however most estimates say there are approximately 560,000 children with the Autism Spectrum Disorder in the United States. In New York State, there has been a 700 percent increase since 1992. There are estimates that put the number of children affected as 1 in 150.

Autism is a neurological disease that affects a child's social and behavior development.

Parents also say their disabled children are abandoned by the state programs when they hit 21 years of age. They say early diagnosis can help those children develop into productive adults.