US Autism Rates For School-Age Children Rise to 1 in 50

US Autism Rates For School-Age Children Rise to 1 in 50







Dylan Charles
Activist Post

New figures for autism prevalence amongst school-age children (2-17 years) in the United States were recently published in a report by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
According to this new estimate, rates of autism amongst the nation’s
school children have climbed to 1 in 50, up from an estimated 1 in 88
for 2012, an increase partly represented by a broadening of the
definition of autism, as well as increase in the ability to detect it.
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
More people than ever before are being diagnosed with an ASD. It is
unclear how much of this increase is due to a broader definition of ASDs
and better efforts in diagnosis. However, a true increase in the number
of people with an ASD cannot be ruled out. We believe the increase in
ASD diagnosis is likely due to a combination of these factors. [CDC]</blockquote>
Defining autism can be difficult for both parents and health workers.
The data in this recent study looks at parent reported cases of Autism
Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

The CDC defines Autism Spectrum Disorder as:
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a set of complex neurodevelopment
disorders that include autistic disorder, Asperger disorder, and
pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (1). Children
who have ASD display mild to severe impairments in social interaction
and communication along with restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped
patterns of behaviors, interests, and activities.</blockquote>



Autism spectrum disorders are almost five times higher in boys than in girls, and most prevalent in teenagers ages 14-17:
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The prevalence of parent-reported ASD among children aged 6–17 was 2.00%
in 2011–2012, a significant increase from 2007 (1.16%). The magnitude
of the increase was greatest for boys and for adolescents aged 14–17.
Cohort analyses revealed consistent estimates of both the prevalence of
parentreported ASD and autism severity ratings over time. Children who
were first diagnosed in or after 2008 accounted for much of the observed
prevalence increase among school-aged children (those aged 6–17).
School-aged children diagnosed in or after 2008 were more likely to have
milder ASD and less likely to have severe ASD than those diagnosed in
or before 2007. [CDC]</blockquote>
Obscured somewhat in the reporting of this data is whether or not autism
itself is actually on the rise. According to the CDC, in 2000 autism
rates for children were 1 in 150. Since then, the nation has seen a
frightening increase in the number of youth affected, and the impact on
families and schools has been staggering.

The
causes of ASD are still not clearly identified. More research is
demonstrating that food quality may be an important issue, and things
like high-fructose corn syrup growing highly suspect.

The CDC cites several potential factors that may possibly contribute to this epidemic, including genetic, environmental and biological factors, while also mentioning the controversy over childhood vaccines.

The case against vaccines
continues to grow and is clearly worthy of more direct attention than
the CDC seems to be giving it. All the while, more and more parents and
activists are challenging an ever-increasing schedule of childhood vaccines, and public awareness of this issue continues to rise.

Source:-
http://www.activistpost.com/2013/03/us-autism-rates-for-school-age-children.html