The world is becoming more aware of autism with every passing year, thanks in large part to the many organizations that have appeared to help spread knowledge and awareness.
A high percentage of people living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) need assistance in their daily lives, without which they would be significantly impaired. Thankfully, as awareness of ASD is growing, more effective treatments are being developed and new research initiatives are being planned.
Autism education and research is being spearheaded around the world by Autism Speaks, an advocacy organization that sponsors major projects like the House to Home Prize here at HeroX.
New Research Finds More Children With Autism
A new study has estimated that 1 in 45 children in the United States have been diagnosed with ASD, much higher than the official estimate of 1 in 68 children. The study was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which also provides the official estimate.
This new estimate comes from the 2014 National Health Interview Survey, a questionnaire that attempts to monitor the health of the nation. This survey shows a striking increase in the prevalence of ASD in children: in 2011-2013 the number was 1 in 80 children, about 1.25 percent of all children. This was worrying enough, but the 2014 survey showed an increase of about 80 percent, up to 1 in 45, which is about 2 percent of children.
Why does this latest survey show a much higher rate of ASD than in previous years? Well, it's not because the prevalence of autism has actually increased that much, although ASD does seem to be on the rise.
The big increase comes in large part from a change in the wording and the order of questions on the survey. Surveys from previous years first asked if children had a developmental disability, and then later asked about autism. This was confusing to many, and prompted some parents of autistic children to report the disorder as a developmental disability, either instead of or in addition to autism. It's thought that this caused an underreporting of ASD because parents would consistently misclassify their children.
The 2014 survey switched the order of those two categories, asking about autism before other developmental disabilities. This resulted in almost twice as many reports of children with autism than in previous years.
These numbers are thought to be closer to reality than the previous surveys because they tend to match what other studies have found. In 2013, for example, the National Survey of Children's Health found that 1 in 50 children have ASD.
Michael Rosanoff, director of public health research at Autism Speaks, thinks that these studies are more accurate than the official estimate. “The 1 in 45 estimate is not surprising and is likely a more accurate representation of autism prevalence in the United States,” he says. “This means that 2 percent of children in the U.S. are living with autism. The earlier they have access to care, services and treatment, the more likely they are to progress.”
Reality vs The Official Estimate
So, why is there such a big disparity between the official estimate of 1 in 68 and surveys like this, which find the number to be closer to 1 in 45? (By the way, the official estimate by the CDC in 2013 was 1 in 88, so this number is increasing too.)
The official estimate comes from looking at the school and medical records of 8-year-olds at autism monitoring sites around the country, within a system known as the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network. These facilities provide medical treatments and special education programs for autistic children.
This means that the official estimate is leaving out children who aren't receiving autism-related care at these sites, and parent surveys are showing that there are quite a lot of children in that camp.
Autism Speaks is now working with the CDC to improve their research methods, and is doing everything it can to spread awareness and educate people about ASD. You can join in the effort right here at HeroX by learning about the Autism Speaks House to Home Prize and sharing it with your friends!
