More children are being diagnosed with autism in the United States.
According to new government statistics, the rate is about 1 in 88. Autism is more common in boys – 1 in 54 boys is diagnosed with autism, compared with 1 in 252 girls. These rates are very alarming.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report showed a 23 percent jump since the last report came out in 2009.
CDC officials say research into causes of autism will help determine if there has been a true increase or just a better diagnosis.
Experts and researchers think better awareness, broader screening and better diagnosis have largely contributed to increasing rates. But the cause of autism still remains a mystery and there is an urgent need to determine what is causing that increase in cases.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends autism screening for all children at age 18 months and two years.
The CDC report found that 40 percent of kids weren’t diagnosed until after the age of four. Children who are identified early and get help have the best chance for reaching their potential, said CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden.
The largest increases were among black and Latino children, which means more of those youths are being diagnosed and getting early treatment, said Lisa Croen, director of the Autism Research Program at Kaiser Permanente Northern California.
There is no cure for autism but treatment such as behavior therapy can help many kids function better.
1 Comment
These are SUCH scary stats!!