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Mar 3, 2017 · What is the prevalence of autism in the U.S.? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 68 children in the U.S. have autism. The prevalence is 1 in 42 for...
Nov 1, 2024 · Why is autism increasing? Results showed that ASD prevalence was highest among children aged 5 to 8, reaching 30.3 per 1,000 children in 2022—about the same as the most recent CDC prevalence rate. Among adults, prevalence was notably low, particularly in those aged 45 and older.
Nov 1, 2024 · Key points. A new study published in JAMA reported that autism prevalence dramatically increased between 2011-2022. Findings also suggest possible reductions in racial, ethnic, and gender...
- Overview
- Why autism rates are rising so quickly — especially among Black and Hispanic kids
- Other factors that increase the chance of autism
- Autism rates varied per state, depending on screening efforts
- The bottom line
•The CDC says more children are being diagnosed with autism than ever before.
•The rates may reflect growing awareness of autism spectrum disorder and a focus on getting more children into treatment.
•Other factors including air pollution, low birth weight, and stress may also be behind the increase in diagnoses.
New data published this month from the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that more children are being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) now than at any other point since the agency begin monitoring autism rates in 2000.
They also found that Black and Hispanic children are being diagnosed with autism at higher rates than white children.
According to the data, 1 in 36 eight-year-olds (2.8%) had autism in 2020 — a jump up from 1 in 44 (2.3%) in 2018.
Researchers suspect that the rising rates of autism can be attributed, in part, to the growing awareness and advocacy of autism.
It’s possible that autism has always been a common condition and we are just beginning to capture the true prevalence due to better screening efforts, said Dr. Peter J. Chung, a developmental-behavioral pediatrician and Medical Director of The Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders at University of California, Irvine.
On the other hand, some researchers suspect that certain environmental factors are contributing to the growing rates of autism, Chung added.
“Experts vary on their opinions regarding this phenomenon, but I personally believe it is probably a little bit of both,” Chung said.
Historically, rates of autism have been lower in non-white children, however, this report is the first to find that the rates of autism in Black and Hispanic children have exceeded rates of autism in white children.
Chung said rates of autism in Black and Hispanic kids have grown as more communities have worked to address racial and ethnic disparities in autism diagnosis.
Many factors are known to increase the likelihood of autism — like premature birth and low birth weight.
Other factors like exposure to air pollution and maternal stress may also play a role.
“It may be that Black and Hispanic children have greater exposure to those factors,” said Kanne.
Though it’s widely believed that autism is a neurobiological disorder, it’s unclear if genetics play a role, Kanne noted.
Autism rates varied significantly across the 11 states included in the analysis, which the researchers believe can be attributed to state differences in how autism is screened and treated.
Autism prevalence in eight-year-old kids ranged from 23.1 per 1,000 (2.3%) children in Maryland to 44.9 per 1,000 (4.5%) in California.
In 4-year-olds, prevalence ranged from 1.3% in Utah to 4.6% in California.
Certain states, like California, have programs in place to better identify and treat children who are suspected of having autism.
“This increased emphasis in early screening is likely contributing to the rise in prevalence as these children are identified early, intending to provide treatment and support as soon as possible,” Kanne said.
According to Chung, data consistently shows that early intervention for children with autism leads to the best possible outcomes in cognition, language, and behavior.
More children than ever before are being diagnosed for autism. Additionally, Black and Hispanic children are being diagnosed with autism at higher rates than white children, according to new data from the CDC. The increased prevalence of autism can be attributed, in part, to greater awareness and advocacy for autism. Some researchers believe enviro...
Mar 25, 2023 · Increased awareness and screening efforts may reveal why autism is becoming more common. It might seem like autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is more prevalent nowadays than it was 10 or 20...
- Sian Ferguson
Jan 26, 2023 · Autism rates have soared among children in New York and New Jersey, a study found. That's mostly due to better screening and diagnostics, but there is probably more to the trend.
People also ask
Why is autism prevalence increasing?
Why is autism becoming more common?
Why did autism prevalence increase between 2011-2022?
Why are autism diagnoses increasing?
Which age group has the highest prevalence of autism?
The prevalence of ASD in those aged 1 to 4 years was statistically significantly lower than the two older age groups. Males were diagnosed with ASD approximately four times more frequently than females; 1 in 32 males (3.1% [2.8, 3.4]) and 1 in 125 females (0.8% [0.7, 1.0]).
