New CDC Report: 1 in 44 Children Have Autism

As time passes, research evolves and continues to grow. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASC) diagnosis numbers continue to rise as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released that one in 44 children are on the autism spectrum. The most recent CDC study conducted in 2016 released that one in 54 children are on the autism spectrum. 

These numbers are increasing due to a variety of different aspects. A second report released by the CDC stated that children were 50% more likely to be diagnosed with autism by the age of four in 2018 than in 2014. This student was conducted by the CDC’s ADDM Network, which is a tracking system that provides estimates of the prevalence and characteristics of autism among 8-year-old and 4-year-old children in 11 communities in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin. ADDM is not a representative sample of the United States.

 “The substantial progress in early identification is good news because the earlier that children are identified with autism, the sooner they can be connected to services and support,” said Dr. Karen Remley in the report, director of CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.

While the prevalence of ASD varied considerably across sites and was higher than previous estimates in 2014, there was no overall difference in ASD between Black and White children that were eight years old. However, it was reported that Black children had a harder time getting evaluated and receiving a diagnosis. Similarly, fewer hispanic children were diagnosed with ASD than White or Black children. According to the reports, in several of the 11 communities in the ADDM Network, fewer Hispanic children were identified with autism than Black or White children.

 The CDC suggests access to services that diagnose and support children with autism could contribute to these differences.