Autism incidence in the U.S. has increased from 1 in 36 children in 2020 to 1 in 31 in 2022, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday. The Hearst Television Data Team delved into the report to provide context behind the numbers.Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent deficits in social communication, social interaction and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior. According to the CDC, autism signs and symptoms emerge in the first year of life and can be detected between six months and 18 months of age. Since 2000, the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network has been tracking the number and characteristics of 8-year-old children with ASD. While the data encompasses large and diverse populations, the report says it is not nationally representative of autism prevalence across the United States, as the populations within site-defined ADDM Network surveillance areas are not nationally representative. Autism prevalence ranged widely, from 9.7 per 1,000 children 8 years old in Laredo, Texas, to 53.1 per 1,000 in California. The report suggests that this variation might result from substantial differences in community practices for identifying autism.For example, California, which has had the highest autism prevalence since joining the ADDM Network in 2018, operates the "Get SET Early" program, training hundreds of local pediatricians to screen and refer children for evaluation as early as possible.Of the 274,857 children included in the 2022 report, 8,854, or 3.2%, had autism.The ADDM Network has had a total of 22 reporting sites since it first tracked autism numbers in 2000, and recently expanded to Puerto Rico, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Texas (Austin and Laredo). Many sites have gaps in their reports, with consistent data collection only available from sites in Arizona, Georgia, and Maryland. Researchers and advocacy groups attribute the rise to many factors, including changes in the criteria for diagnosing autism. In 2016, the ADDM Network broadened its criteria for autism by adopting the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association. Among the changes that came with adopting the DSM-5 was consolidating several diagnoses—autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS)—into a single diagnosis: Autism Spectrum Disorder. The DSM-5 also introduced new criteria for diagnosing autism that include persistent deficits in social communication and interaction across multiple contexts, as well as restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities.The CDC's report does not offer a direct explanation for the rise but said, "differences in prevalence over time and across sites can reflect differing practices in ASD evaluation and identification and availability and requirements that affect accessibility of services (e.g., meeting financial or diagnostic eligibility requirements)."Other factors researchers and advocacy groups attribute to the increase in autism prevalence rate include increased public awareness and advocacy, the implementation of universal screening, inclusive education policies, and the enactment of insurance mandates.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4K
NEW YORK — Autism incidence in the U.S. has increased from 1 in 36 children in 2020 to 1 in 31 in 2022, according to a released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday.
The Hearst Television Data Team delved into the report to provide context behind the numbers.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent deficits in social communication, social interaction and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior. According to the CDC, autism signs and symptoms emerge in the first year of life and can be detected between six months and 18 months of age.
Since 2000, the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network has been tracking the number and characteristics of 8-year-old children with ASD. While the data encompasses large and diverse populations, the report says it is not nationally representative of autism prevalence across the United States, as the populations within site-defined ADDM Network surveillance areas are not nationally representative.
Autism prevalence ranged widely, from 9.7 per 1,000 children 8 years old in Laredo, Texas, to 53.1 per 1,000 in California. The report suggests that this variation might result from substantial differences in community practices for identifying autism.
For example, California, which has had the highest autism prevalence since joining the ADDM Network in 2018, operates the "Get SET Early" program, training hundreds of local pediatricians to screen and refer children for evaluation as early as possible.
Of the 274,857 children included in the 2022 report, 8,854, or 3.2%, had autism.
The ADDM Network has had a total of 22 reporting sites since it first tracked autism numbers in 2000, and recently expanded to Puerto Rico, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Texas (Austin and Laredo).
Many sites have gaps in their reports, with consistent data collection only available from sites in Arizona, Georgia, and Maryland.
Researchers and advocacy groups attribute the rise to many factors, including changes in the criteria for diagnosing autism.
In 2016, the ADDM Network broadened its for autism by adopting the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association. Among the changes that came with adopting the DSM-5 was consolidating several diagnoses—autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS)—into a single diagnosis: Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The DSM-5 also introduced new criteria for diagnosing autism that include persistent deficits in social communication and interaction across multiple contexts, as well as restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities.
The CDC's report does not offer a direct explanation for the rise but said, "differences in prevalence over time and across sites can reflect differing practices in ASD evaluation and identification and availability and requirements that affect accessibility of services (e.g., meeting financial or diagnostic eligibility requirements)."
Other factors researchers and advocacy groups attribute to the increase in autism prevalence rate include increased public awareness and advocacy, the implementation of universal screening, inclusive education policies, and the enactment of insurance mandates.
