Record-Breaking Autism Rates
Record-Breaking Autism Rates Reported With New CDC Criteria. Childhood autism rates are at the highest level since the CDC began tracking the disorder in 2000, new data released show. The increase likely reflects improvements in diagnosis and identification of autism spectrum disorder, not an increase in incidence, study authors with the CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network told Medscape Medical News. Using a new surveillance methodology, researchers found that 2.3% of 8-year-olds in communities in 11 states across the US had an autism diagnosis in 2018, up from 1.9% in 2016. A separate report on early identification in 4-year-olds shows that children born in 2014 were 50% more likely to receive an autism diagnosis or ASD special education classification by 48 months of age than those born in 2010, signaling improved early diagnosis. Taken together, the data suggest efforts to raise awareness about autism are working, though researchers were quick to say much work remains.
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