New data suggests 1 in 44 US children affected by autism

By LINDSEY TANNER | The Associated Press

New autism numbers released Thursday suggest much U.S. children are being diagnosed with the developmental information and astatine younger ages.

In an investigation of 2018 information from astir a twelve states, researchers astatine the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recovered that among 8-year-olds, 1 successful 44 had been diagnosed with autism. That complaint compares with 1 successful 54 identified with autism successful 2016.

U.S. autism numbers person been connected the emergence for respective years, but experts judge that reflects much consciousness and wider availability of services to dainty the information alternatively than a existent summation successful the fig of affected children.

A abstracted CDC study released Thursday said that children were 50% much apt to beryllium diagnosed with autism by property 4 successful 2018 than successful 2014.

“There is immoderate advancement being made and the earlier kids get identified, the earlier they tin entree services that they mightiness request to amended their developmental outcome,’ said CDC researcher and co-author Kelly Shaw.

Geraldine Dawson, manager of Duke University’s Center for Autism and Brain Development, said the caller estimation is akin to 1 recovered successful probe based connected screening a ample colonisation of children alternatively than connected those already diagnosed. As such, she said it whitethorn beryllium person to reflecting the existent authorities of autism successful U.S. children than earlier estimates.

The CDC reports are based connected information from counties and different communities successful 11 states — immoderate with much municipality neighborhoods, wherever autism rates thin to beryllium higher. The rates are estimates and don’t needfully bespeak the full U.S. situation, the authors said.

Autism rates varied wide — from 1 successful 26 successful California, wherever services are plentiful, to 1 successful 60 successful Missouri.

Overall, autism prevalence was akin crossed radical and taste lines, but rates were higher among Black children successful 2 sites, Maryland and Minnesota. Until recently, U.S. information showed prevalence among achromatic children was higher.

At a 3rd site, Utah, rates were higher among children from lower-income families than those from wealthier families, reversing a longstanding trend, said study co-author Amanda Bakian, a University of Utah researcher who oversees the CDC’s autism surveillance successful that state.

Bakian said that apt reflects much sum for autism services by Medicaid and backstage wellness insurers.

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Follow AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner astatine @LindseyTanner.

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