Michael and Jane Stooks are looking for volunteers to help their son George overcome his autism.

They have just returned from a week-long trip to the USA, where they visited a specialist autism centre that could help cure their son.

Mr and Mrs Stooks, of Fritwell, near Bicester, want to recruit as many helpers as possible to work with George to maintain the benefit of a special programme they learned at the centre in Massachusetts. They believe four-year-old George's autism could have been triggered by a measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab.

Mrs Stooks, 38, said: "He had the jab at about 13 months and started to regress then. By two, there was no verbal communication or pointing, which are traits of autism."

But she said they could not prove there was a link between the injection and George's autism. Family members, who were paediatricians, had said there was no link.

In January, the couple read about the Autism Treatment Centre of America, which runs a training programme for people caring for children with autism.

For the past six months, they have been in contact with teachers at the centre, and they have already put into practice its Son-Rise programme to help George. It involves working with him on a one-to-one basis, gaining his confidence and encouraging him to communicate. George did not accompany his parents on their recent trip to the US, but a teacher from the centre had previously visited the family home to meet George and see a playroom set up for him.

Mr and Mrs Stooks have met the £60,000 cost of the treatment from a family trust. Mrs Stooks, who runs a cleaning business, said: "We have seen children being cured from it and we have seen a difference ourselves. We are really positive."

Mr Stooks, 33, who works for the Prison Service, said: "We have seen a real difference in his social interaction and eye contact. We are doing it because we are not always going to be here and we want him to go on and live an independent life."

Volunteers are needed who can spend at least three hours a week with George. Mr Stooks said the emphasis of the programme was having fun.

Anyone who would like to help should call Mr or Mrs Stooks on 01869 345452.