MD Has 2nd Highest Autism Rates In America, CDC Says

BALTIMORE (Patch) — Autism rates continue to climb nationwide, and Maryland is second in the country in the number of children with autism, according to a new study released by the Centers for Disease Control.

The study used research collected by Rutgers University researchers and found that autism rates have gone up 10 percent in Maryland since 2004, and looks like they will continue to climb.

Data released by the CDC finds that Autism Spectrum Disorders affect an average of 1 in 59 children in the U.S. (1 in 38 boys, 1 in 152 girls). The findings are based on 11 sites, including Maryland (which has an autism prevalence of 1 in 50; 1 in 31 for boys, and 1 in 139 for girls). The study focused on 8-year-olds.

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