More and more children with autism in the US

In the US, five times more boys than girls are affected by autism

03/28/2014

The number of children with autism has risen by 30 percent in the United States compared to 2008. This was the result of a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. According to this, one out of every 68 children had a form of autism. The developmental disorder mainly affects the children's social interaction skills, ranging from mild behavioral problems to severe restrictions and disabilities.

Autism is often diagnosed in children as young as four years old
The CDC can only partially explain the sharp increase in the number of children with autism. The Authority emphasizes, however, that it is important to take into account, „that the estimate is based on eight-year-olds from eleven different communities. It does not represent the total population of children in the United States“. The CDC has not changed the type of data collection. Compared to 2008, the number of children with autism has risen by 30 percent, compared with 60 percent in 2006 and even 120 percent by 2002.

The study showed that the number of affected children varies greatly from region to region. „The number of children with autism differed markedly in the communities, from one in 175 affected children in Alabama to one in 45 children in some areas of New Jersey“, informs the CDC. „Nearly half (46 percent) of children diagnosed with autism had average or above-average intellectual ability (IQ greater than 85).“

Another result of the study concerns gender distribution. Boys are therefore five times more likely to be affected by autism than girls. „About one in 42 boys and one in 189 girls had autism“, so the authority. The organization of Pediatricians (AAP) therefore advocates previous examinations and an improved education of those affected and their families. In this context, the CDC reports an age of four years or more, when autism is first detected in most children. „Children could receive the diagnosis at the age of two.“ For example, difficulties in learning language and motor skills become apparent very early on. (Ag)