The number of youngsters diagnosed with autism in the United States has skyrocketed in recent years, according to a new study.
China’s Guangdong Pharmaceutical University found that 3.49 percent of U.S. children and adolescents had autism in 2020 or almost one in thirty.
This is a dramatic increase of 52 percent over 2017 when 2.29 percent of American adolescents had the illness.
While the research team did not provide a specific explanation for the increase, many experts hypothesize that it is a result of parents gaining a better grasp of the early warning signals of autism in their kids and increased surveillance for the illness.
Researchers, whose findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics on Tuesday, collected data from the annual National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).
The survey done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention includes household interviews and targeted screenings to learn more about the average household’s health.
In 2014, 2.24 percent of American children and adolescents had autism, according to the NHIS.
The percentage increased progressively, reaching 2.76 percent in 2016. In 2017, the rate fell sharply to 2.44 percent.
It then increased gradually over the next three years, until the most recent NHIS data from 2020 revealed that 3.49 percent of American adolescents are autistic.
Researchers observe that the United States and Europe have greater autism prevalence rates than the rest of the world, most likely due to improved screening and diagnosis.
Autism affected around five percent of young boys, but less than two percent of young girls.
Children who are black, from low-income families, or families with higher levels of education are more likely to be diagnosed.
The causes for these disparities are unknown, but specialists have long known that boys are more likely than girls to be diagnosed with autism.
Increasing autism rates may be worrying, but other specialists view them as a sign of improved surveillance. They believe that the number of persons with autism has not increased, but rather that surveillance has improved.
In 2006, the American Academy of Pediatrics advised that all 18- to 24-month-old children be evaluated for autism.
As screening and diagnostic testing rose, so did the number of cases identified.
The ordinary parent is now more aware of the usual early indicators of autism than they were in the past and can notice signs such as inability to maintain eye contact, poor communication skills, and inability to work independently.
In addition, the social stigma surrounding autism has diminished, and many parents are now far more eager to screen their children without fear of social ramifications.
However, some scientists caution that children in the womb experience some unfavorable impacts that put them at greater risk.
Experts warn that older parents, exposure to pollution in utero, and even an obese woman during pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of autism.
THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF AUTISM
Autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is characterized by difficulties with social, emotional, and communication abilities that often emerge before the age of three and last a lifetime.
Specific autistic symptoms include:
Unusual are reactions to smell, taste, sight, and sound.
Adapting to changes in routine is challenging.
Incapable of echoing or repeating what is stated to them.
Difficulty expressing demands verbally or physically.
Unable to discuss their own or others’ emotions.
Difficulty with affectionate acts such as hugging.
Favor solitude and avoid eye contact.
Difficulty interacting with others.
Incapable of pointing at items or looking at them when others point.
