Kids' Autism on the Rise, Research Shows

(CBS)  An average of one in 110 children - roughly one percent of 8-year-olds - have autism, according to data collected in multiple communities nationwide from 2006.

Overall, the data indicates that one in 70 boys and one in 315 girls have an Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday.

ASD refers to a group of symptoms including a profound inability to communicate, mental retardation, and other developmental disorders - from mild to severe, reports CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton. The diagnosis can be complicated and subjective.

"It's not like going out and measuring a blood test. This isn't concrete like that, this is looking at behavior," said Dr. Gary Goldstein of the Kennedy Krieger Institute.

The new research reveals an overall increase in autism from earlier studies. According to the newest data, all 10 communities participating in an earlier 2002 study observed autism prevalence shoot up by an average of 57 percent.

Arizona and Missouri saw the highest uptick in autism prevalence while Florida had the lowest rate, according to the research.

Read the full CDC report on autism

The ASD prevalence was 4 to 5 times higher for boys than for girls.

The study used data based on a retrospective review of health and education records from communities compromising eight percent of the U.S. population of eight-year-olds. The studies focused on eight-years-old because previous research has shown that most children with autism have been identified by this age.

The studies' authors noted that it was impossible to pinpoint one reason for the increase in autism.

"Although some of the increases are due to better detection, a true increase in risk cannot be ruled out," the researchers noted.

In analyzing the numbers, Ashton reports, researchers are wrestling with an important issue: Are there really more autistic children? Or does the growing awareness of the symptoms lead to more diagnoses?

"Based on everything we have right now, I would say it's more likely than not that there is an increase in the number of cases. It's not absolute," Dr. Goldstein said.

Jennifer Chancellor has been a special education teacher for 14 years; she told Ashton that she's seen a big change in perceptions of children's behavior.

"I think there is an awareness of what developmental milestones should be hit for children, and I think when there is concern that there children are not meeting these milestones, then parents are asking physicians and physicians are directing them to their educators," Chancellor said.

[httpwwwnews]

In Southern California some school districts are doing everything they can to keep kids in regular classrooms, to not have the school psychologists test or diagnosis them, to not have to offer services, and to list a really disabling condition as secondary to something more mild, so keeping them in an inclusion setting. Far from the special status people claim that parents are looking for, it's a cheat for children with disorders and for teachers who are hag-ridden for standardized test scores.

[shmoobugg]

As a parent of a 7 year old with Aspergers I do fear that the Autism diagnosis is being overly used. As a social worker I guarantee it is overly used I have worked first hand with children whose parents over dramatize eveything for their kids including their behaviors. I have witnessed first hand bad psychological reports which parents giving false information or wanting some kind of label because they can't deal with their child or usually their bad parenting and physicians that quickly label a child like with ADHD. I worry that the individuals who truly have this disgnosis will hurt the most. My son has 6 different individuals who work with him at school which are his teacher, full time aide, speech, occupational, physical specialist, and special education teacher. He also receives counseling and has a case manager to deal with his inappropriate communication issues. At times I want to cry because I just want to know what is going on in that little head this is why I hope this is not the beginning of overly using a diagnosis for other gains instead of help for this special individuals.

[cat54mom]

Mr. Wade (1abcdefg): Thank you for your input. I have a 25-year old daughter with Aspergers syndrome. She is not gifted in analytical or technical areas that would enable her to get a job that requires fewer people skills; she is reasonably intelligent but not brilliant. She has a college degree in a field of study that generally is useful to prepare people for teaching. (No, we weren't too stupid to realize that would be a problem, that's what she was able to major in.) If she were a stronger candidate in her field, she might be able to teach at the college level, but she isn't. She would be adequately qualified to hold a job if she had even average people skills. She can still perform useful work, but she has never been able to get a job. There IS a difference between being able to do work and being able to get (and keep) a job. I suspect that Aspergers is now being over-diagnosed, but that doesn't change the fact that for many people--children and adults--it is real. I hope kids who really have Aspergers get the help they need, but affected adults don't just disappear. There is very little support for adults with Apergers who are looking for a job, and very little community tolerance for the lack of social skills that goes with it.

[1abcdefg]

Dear Dr.Ashton and all reading this: Isaw the Articalabout the rise in kids with Autism My big qustion is when issombody going to do an articl ordeal period with ADULTS with Autism I a a 50Y/O man with Autism(aspergers) I was Diagnosedin 1966 at a time whn the advise of family and professonals was put your son in a home Mom couldnot afford to do this and she loved me enough NOT to do this I was raised a a kid with ABILITIES sure I flapped my hands,Bit myself and Banged head etc but got throughtit I grew up and got Education I have training as an embalmer,Pharmacy technician,Manufacturng with Six Sigma Greenbelt and OSHA1910FR29 this past mayI even took flying lessons (Piper Tomahak)I have an inteest in aeroplanes I hve astrong backgrond in Science and Math and theology and like many onspectrum do not do well with comunicaion writtn/oral and I cant drive a car these3 thinsg I cant do renders me unemployable here in Kansa City never mind theSKILlS I posses I know I am not alone ad even with a GOOD economy 95% to 99% of us on Spectrum are unemployed IT GETS FRUSRUTATINGthe resorcs stop at age 21 after which we and our familes are on own as there are resouces for veterans,Felons coming out of Gaol and everything els (which is good) but nothing for the Adult with AutismVocations Rehbilitation is Mainly for Downs Syndrom and lower functioning going to the Seltered workshopsGrouphomes I and many are consiered too high functioning so dont qualify so whatbout the ADULT with Autism who are capible of more but dont talk/write well enough to get ajob to get past th recptinist in HR We need Transportation help,Job Coaches specialy trained for the Adult with Autism and better acceptance by business comunity we need mentors andvocatonal training at ANY age when is his going to happen when is the adult with Autism going to stop being the poor relation in medical and employment and we get to do more thanbeing allowed I am not dumb just dont talk or write good with 1 out of 110 kids being diagnosed somthing better start being initated as far as services for ADULTS and be wiling to pay for it as this needs to be as funded as Breast Cancer is. I end this with I am 50 Y/O andliving at home with aging parents who are now starting to have healthproblems who I will out live like many of us and SSDI is not enough tomake a life on people on spectrum are Kids from 0 to 21 years then have the next 45 working years our life spanis at least 75+ like everybody elses We Need a Future too we need the ADULT resources Scott A.Wade
Knsa Ciy,Missuri

[bill0bob]

Dear Scott,

I wish I could give you words of encouragement, but if you look at many of the comments here you'll see that republican people believe it is all just "made up" so somebody can make more money. Because they only know what their own life is like, and THEY are greedy bastards who can't imagine ever doing anything except lying and cheating other people to get their money, therefore they think everybody esle must be doing the same thing.

Unfortunately, there's no simple way to get rid of the republicans. They suffer from a serious mental disease, one that has not yet been recognized by the psychiatric community. We can't help them overcome their illness because they refuse to admit they are sick. And we can't just kill them. :)

[bubbadubba]

Actually the headline should read " Autism is big money. Children being labled with autism are on the rise".
Now comes all the people who pretend they have an "autistic" child and will post "my child has autism and you don't know what you are talking about" so they can get attention and be part of the "autism child club" which is very trendy these days.
Other recent money making trends include:
ADD
Bi-Polar

[enwr77]

You are correct. Unfortunately it is the children that suffer from being labeled and will not reach their full potential.

[enwr77]

This is just the new ADHD. As with ADHD this is another way to hide bad parenting and label poor and minority children. This abuse of the diagnosis is unfortunate for those who really have autism.

[robinspp]

Too much vaccination is the root cause of Autism.

[rf35]

First off, for parents of truly autistic children, this is not meant for you. As for the increase in diagnosis, that is all it is. Not an increase in autism, just in the diagnosis of autism. I agree with several posters here that it is becoming a "fashionable" diagnosis for children with the slightest hint of social awkwardness. "My child is special," seems to be something far too many parents want to be able to say. It is also, no doubt, something many medical facilities would love to be able to treat. And since a slight delay in certain aspects of development is all that is needed to qualify, these "treatments" will be hailed as successful as the child catches up to the average for his/her age group. Add to that the aid mentioned in an earlier post and you can see there is a financial motivation driving some parents. Really, anyone considered a nerd in school would fit in today?s ASD profile. Be assured, someone, somewhere, somehow stands to make a mint off of the rise in ADS diagnosis.

[halfalib]

I am truly touched by the many stories told here.

Autism is a vaguely-defined disease, and is mostly incurable. Yet, there are doctors/facilities who are treating them, and the insurance companies keep paying them.

If there are 10,000 different diseases for human beings, the insurance companies will pay for 4,000 of them, and the doctors can cure only 900. But we still want to pay the premium, because of the possibility of getting these 900 diseases.

I am not exaggerating. Most cancers, mental diseases, cold/flu, kidney diseases, liver diseases,..., none of them can be cured. The western medicine is good at urgent care. So, they are able to sustain patient's life for a longer period of time. But, does that worth tens of thousands of dollars?

And you might ask what happen to the 6,000 diseases that insurance don't want to pay? These are the diseases have not been scientifically identified, and the patients have to suffer through their lives with them. And yes, they will be seeing doctors who (mis)diagnose these diseases as something that insurance will pay.

My point? Given such lousy cure rate, I don't think I am getting my money's worth. And I want a significantly lowered insurance premium.

We need the public option, agree?

[bbrhuft]

"ASD refers to a group of symptoms including a profound inability to communicate, mental retardation, and other developmental disorders"

Look, the autism spectrum nowadays spans from severe "Kanner's" autism (as in CBS's description, which was the only kind of autism diagnosed in the 1970-80s) to very mild autism like me - a guy who has a PhD and Aspergers syndrome (the mild end of the autism spectrum officially recognised since 1994).

Any debate on a real v's false rise in "autism" must acknowledge that autism nowadays a very broad spectrum, that the bulk .. if not all .. of the apparent rise in autism spectrum cases may be accounted for by the huge broadening for the diagnostic "goal posts".

If there is a real rise, I think it is small, it may be explained by increasingly older parents having children - studies have shown that older fathers may pass on genetic defects that increase the risk of autism in their children.