Autism rates in US soar 30% in 2 years

Posted on April 2, 2014

In the surveillance summary report, published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers estimate that 1 in 68 children (14.7 per 1,000) now has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), compared with 1 in 88 children (11.3 per 1,000) in 2012.

To reach their findings, CDC investigators analyzed data from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network - a US surveillance system that estimates ASD prevalence among 8-year-old children whose parents or guardians reside in 11 ADDM sites. The system collects its data from community sources that diagnose, educate, treat and/or provide services for children with developmental disabilities.

The data reveals that ASD is almost five times more common among boys than girls, with 1 in 42 boys estimated to have the disorder, compared with 1 in 189 girls. It is also more common among white children than black or Hispanic children.

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Category(s):Autism spectrum disorders

Source material from Medical News Today