The percentage of American children
with autism jumped 30 percent between 2008 and 2010, according to a new report
released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which found
that 1 in 68 children had autism spectrum disorder in 2010, up from 1 in 88
children in 2008. The CDC report is based on a survey of medical records in
8-year-olds from 11 communities throughout the U.S.
The CDC can’t explain specific reasons for the rise. One reason stated may be that we are getting better at identifying autism.” Others say that autism is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental issues. The age of parents is also known to be a factor; the chances of autism increase when parents are older at conception.
However, certain patterns have remained the
same, autism remains five times more common in boys - affecting 1 in 42
compared to 1 in 189 girls. White children are more likely to be diagnosed than
black or Hispanic children, though the occurrence of autism in those minorities
has risen at a faster rate than for whites. A reason for this may be that
minorities, women and girls experience significant
under-diagnosis according to other experts.
The average age a child is diagnosed with autism has fallen, but still remains
above age 4 though diagnosis is possible by age 2. Research tells us that early identification of autism and the use of early
intervention services is crucial to
improving social, communication, behavioral and educational outcomes for
children with autism. That’s why it’s so important for every parent to
track their child’s development and act quickly if there may be a problem. Parents
know your child best. If you have a concern about how your child plays, learns,
speaks, acts, or moves, don’t wait. This link will tell what actions you can
take http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/concerned.html. You can also track your child’s development
with CDC’s free milestone checklists.
More is understood about autism than ever before, but there is a critical
need to continue the search for answers and provide help now for people living
with autism. For more details
about the CDC report, click on this link:
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