They Say: Autism More Common Than Previously Thought
Experts estimate that roughly 1 in 150 children has autism spectrum disorder, but a new study suggests that that number is closer to 1 in 91.
The government study examined data from the National Survey of Children’s Health, a group of 78,000 children between the ages of 3 and 17.
What they found was that 1,142 of those children had received a diagnosis of autism at some point in their childhood — 494 mild, 320 moderate, and 90 severe. Nearly 500 of the children no longer carried the diagnosis.
While the increase in numbers may seem alarming, experts say that it’s likely due to a higher awareness, better diagnostic tools, and more testing.
What stumps researchers is that group of 499 kids who no longer carry the diagnosis. They aren’t sure whether they were misdiagnosed to begin with, or if early intervention services helps children with mild cases overcome their symptoms.
Bob Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks, an advocacy groups that says there’s growing evidence that autism affects 1 percent of the population, says on the group’s website that these numbers should spur a call to action.
“These new numbers should serve as a renewed call to action to take on what is clearly a major public health crisis not only in this country, but around the world. People with autism are still not getting the therapies they need and adequate medical care for the medical conditions often associated with this disorder….We must act now to address these short and long-term challenges.”
Studies have shown that boys appear to be more at risk than girls, and that white children are diagnosed with the disorder at a higher rate than black and multi-racial children, according to Healthday.
Photo: Jeff Kubina, Flickr
Related Posts:
Related Posts:- Parents Claim a Cure for Third of Autism Cases
- They Say: Kids Should Get Swine Flu Vax, Not Most Adults
- They Say: No Money, No Babies
- Scientists Study How Animals Help Autism
- They Say: Better Paid Moms Better at Breastfeeding
Tags: autism, autism rates, autism speaks, autistim spectrum disorder
7 Comments
[...] the news just this week that there are more autistic kids out there than ever before, Marie Myung-OK Lee’s story of how cannabis is helping her nine-year-old son [...]
Getting Kids High to Treat Autism | Strollerderby commented on Oct 06 09 at 4:04 pm[...] ado has been made of the new study saying the numbers of autistic kids in America are much higher than the already high numbers advocates have been using for years. But hidden inside the study comes an even more shocking [...]
Parents Claim a Cure for Third of Autism Cases | Strollerderby commented on Oct 13 09 at 2:28 pmComstock commented on Oct 05 09 at 3:05 pmTo me, number like these highlight the width of the diagnostic category. I don’t have high hopes for finding a cure or even a cause when, in all likelihood, people with autism are suffering from a range of problems grouped together under one name. Certainly much more basic research is needed.
Lisa commented on Oct 05 09 at 6:11 pmI think there is a lot of overdiagnosis. Autism by definition is a condition, not curable. Yet so many young children who are diagnosed as autistic no longer fit the criteria as elementary age children. Any boy with a speech delay is labeled as being ‘on the spectrum’ today.
ChicaDificil commented on Oct 05 09 at 9:41 pmI wonder how many of those mild cases would have been diagnosed as autistic in the past. I never understood the idea of diagnosing a mental disorder in people who are mildly deviant from the norm and demonstrate little impairment. Isn’t there room for eccentrics anymore?
Citizen Mom commented on Oct 05 09 at 9:54 pmThere is actually a great deal of research available on what ASD is. What is needed is extensive training in terms of diagnosing and treating it.
With serious, intense intervention many children can “redirect” neural activity and unlearn many of the behaviors that typify ASD. I have seen such a result with my own child and anticipate a day when he will no longer meet the criteria of autism - not cured, ASD will present challenges throughout his life, but greatly improved.
I just wish the media and talk shows would give more attention to treatment - Applied Behavior Analysis, Floortime, Miller Method - instead of the sensationalistic debate about vaccines and diet.
Blacksheep commented on Oct 09 09 at 1:24 pmThe more important story here is that 40% were found to no longer carry the diagnosis in follow-up interviews. Why isn’t the media focusing on THAT part of the story? I have a late talking 28 month old, and luckily he is in an Early Intervention program which is very conservative about diagnosing kids as on the spectrum. It seems to me they are always expanding the definition of autism. One reason for this is so kids can get services. Sad, but true.
