One in 110 American Children Have Autism

December 18, 2009

A few decades ago autism was thought to be a rare disorder. Today, a study released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that an analysis of medical records from more than 307,000 8-year-olds in 2006 found that about 1 percent -- or about one out of every 100 -- had been diagnosed with an "autism spectrum disorder.

The study found that the rate is considerably higher in non-Hispanic white children than it is in Hispanic and black children. Though no single factor was reported to have been discovered that would explain the increase, some feel that the criteria for diagnosis being better understood and more widely recognized so the medical community is more apt to spot it, leading to an increase in diagnosis.

Catherine Rice, a behavioral health scientist at the CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, said the reason for the increase remains unclear, that it could be due at least in part to more children being diagnosed with one of the conditions rather than an actual increase in how many children are developing the disability. But "a true increase cannot be ruled out," she said, calling the estimate "concerning."

Whether or not there is a specific cause for the increase of diagnosis will likely be a topic almost impossible to agree upon. But what this report does do is help get more funds for research and treatment, which is good news for families dealing with the disorder. 

Sources:

Reuters "UPDATE 1-One percent of U.S. children have autism -study"

Washington Post "Report: Nearly 1 percent of U.S. children diagnosed with autism"