Top 10 Autism Statistics For 2021
- Around 5.4 million people in the US are autistic.
- One in 54 American children is autistic.
- 40% of autistic people are more anxious.
- There is a 13% prevalence of sleep disorder in autistic people.
- Data on autism rates indicates that 7% of children born prematurely are autistic.
- 61% of autistic children present with minimal or no functional speech.
- In England, 71% of autistic children continue their education in mainstream schools.
- 40% of autistic adults who work part-time want to work more hours.
- ASD costs amount to $268 billion annually.
- The mortality rate of autistic people is double that of the general population.
Role Of The Slp In Diagnosis
Interdisciplinary collaboration in assessing and diagnosing ASD is important due to the complexity of the disorder, the varied aspects of functioning affected, and the need to distinguish ASD from other disorders or medical conditions.
Ideally, the SLP is a key member of an interdisciplinary team with expertise in diagnosing ASD. When there is no appropriate team available, an SLPâwho has been trained in the clinical criteria for ASD and who is experienced in diagnosing developmental disordersâmay be qualified to diagnose these disorders as an independent professional .
Some state laws or regulations may restrict a licenseeâs scope of practice and may prohibit the SLP from providing such diagnoses. SLPs should check with their state licensure boards and/or state departments of education for specific requirements.
Assessment
See the Assessment section of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Evidence Map for pertinent scientific evidence, expert opinion, and client/caregiver perspective.
Interdisciplinary collaboration and family involvement are essential in assessing and diagnosing ASD. The SLP is a key member of an interdisciplinary team that includes the childâs pediatrician, a pediatric neurologist, and a developmental pediatrician. There are a number of available algorithms and tools to help physicians develop a strategy for early identification of children with ASD .
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Terminology And Distinction From Schizophrenia
As late as the mid-1970s there was little evidence of a genetic role in autism while in 2007 it was believed to be one of the most heritable psychiatric conditions. Although the rise of parent organizations and the destigmatization of childhood ASD have affected how ASD is viewed, parents continue to feel social stigma in situations where their child’s autistic behavior is perceived negatively, and many primary care physicians and medical specialists express some beliefs consistent with outdated autism research.
It took until 1980 for the DSM-III to differentiate autism from childhood schizophrenia. In 1987, the DSM-III-R provided a checklist for diagnosing autism. In May 2013, the DSM-5 was released, updating the classification for pervasive developmental disorders. The grouping of disorders, including PDD-NOS, autism, Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, and CDD, has been removed and replaced with the general term of Autism Spectrum Disorders. The two categories that exist are impaired social communication and/or interaction, and restricted and/or repetitive behaviors.
The Internet has helped autistic individuals bypass nonverbal cues and emotional sharing that they find difficult to deal with, and has given them a way to form online communities and work remotely.Societal and cultural aspects of autism have developed: some in the community seek a cure, while others believe that autism is simply another way of being.
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Changes In Autism Statistics Over Time
Over the last two decades, the number of autism diagnoses has more than doubled. In 2000, about 1 in 150 children was diagnosed with ASD, compared to 1 in 54 children as of 2016.
Additional studies on developmental disabilities in children in the U.S. have recognized a similar trend. From 2009 to 2017, the percentage of children with autism increased from 1.1% to 2.5%.
According to the Autism Society, the prevalence of ASD has increased between 6% and 15% each year from 2002 to 2010 and will likely continue to rise at this rate. Currently, over 3.5 million people in the U.S. have an autism diagnosis. Roughly 1% of the global population has ASD.
A Child Development Professional Believes Some Children Are Being Misdiagnosed
Why are so many more children being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders than 20 years ago?
Galway-based consultant speech and language therapist Karen OConnor suggests its time to progress the conversation nationally and internationally about this autism epidemic.
Although there have been many studies on the epidemiology of ASD internationally, uncertainty remains about the true prevalence of ASD globally. The World Health Organisation estimates that one in 160 children has an ASD, but some well-controlled studies have reported figures as high as one in 59 children.
Autism spectrum disorders are a range of related developmental disorders that begin in childhood and persist throughout adulthood. ASD can cause a wide range of symptoms, including problems and difficulties with social interaction impaired language and communication skills and unusual patterns of thought and physical behaviour. Boys are three to four times more likely to develop an ASD than girls.
Based on epidemiological studies conducted over the past two decades, the prevalence of ASD does appears to be increasing globally. However, some experts argue that the rise in the number of diagnosed cases does not necessarily mean that the condition is becoming more widespread, but may be due to improved awareness, expansion of the diagnostic criteria, better diagnostic tools and improved reporting.
Misdiagnosis
Controversial
- Topics:
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Aspie Dating: 10 Things To Keep In Mind When Looking For Love
Individuals with high functioning autism may be interested in online dating or even a double date with a trusted friend. It is important to talk to autistic people about online safety and have a protocol in place to keep them safe.
This is true for autistic teens as well as adults. With all the electronic communication available, there are dangers that need to be taught.
About 50000 Individuals With Autism Will Leave High School Every Year In The Us
In the US, reports have it that up to 50,000 individuals dealing with autism leave high school every year. These kinds of facts about autism can be the result of several things, but mostly, these students struggle with slower learning processes. Due to their affected learning, dropping out of high school may become an option for them to avoid extra costs.
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The Rate Of Asd In The Us Grew By An Estimated 14% In Just 2 Years
In the United States, the rate at which Autism has affected individuals increased by 14% between 2016 and 2018. In the past, there were notably fewer diagnoses of the disorder. But over time, diagnoses of autism have become more prevalent, making it a common health disorder today.
Additionally, a study conducted by the CDC shows that autism had a 16% increase in its total prevalence from 2012 to 2014. Why is autism increasing? For several years, many people have believed that the rate of ASDs prevalence has been alarmingly on the rise. However, the truth is that the diagnosis and monitoring of the disorder have simply become more accurate. In short, the number of people with ASD has long been inaccurately measured and is now being identified correctly.
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How Common Is Autism
In 2018, the Centers for Disease Controls Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring reported that approximately 1 in 59 children in the United States has been identified with an Autism Spectrum Disorder . This estimate is a 14% increase from the 1 in 68 rate in 2016 and a 47% increase from the 1 in 88 rate in 2012. In the 1980s autism prevalence was reported as 4 in 10,000. In the nineties, prevalence was 1 in 2500 and later 1 in 1000.
It is problematic to compare autism rates over the last three decades, as the diagnostic criteria for autism have changed with each revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual , which outlines which symptoms meet the criteria for an ASD diagnosis. In 1983 the DSM did not recognize PDD-NOS or Aspergers syndrome, and the criteria for autistic disorder were more restrictive. The previous edition of the DSM, DSM-IV, included autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, PDD-NOS, and Aspergers Syndrome. Due to inconsistencies in diagnosis and how much we are still learning about autism, the most recent DSM only has one diagnosis, autism spectrum disorder , which encompasses each of the previous four disorders. According to the new diagnostic criteria for ASD, one must have both deficits in social communication and interaction, and restricted repetitive behaviors, interests, and activities .
Geographic Differences In Asd Reporting
Along with racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic differences, there also seem to be geographic differences in autism rates in the United States. In New Jersey, autism rates are as high as 1 in 34 children.
In Arkansas, where there are fewer rural service providers, autism impacts 1 in 77 children, a rate much lower than the national average. This suggests that despite diagnostic advances in the United States, regional differences exist in helping children and families access services they need. Its possible that the national average of 1 in 59 may be much higher.
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Getting The Right Environment
Environment is important to quality of life for autistic people. There are ways you can adapt and improve your environment to make it as comfortable and supportive as possible for you or your child.
The social model of disability is a way of looking at the world that treats the difficulties people with disabilities have as being caused by barriers in society, rather than just the disabilities themselves. These barriers can be physical for example, buildings not having accessible toilets. Barriers can also be caused by peoples attitudes for example, many people will assume someone is lying because they dont make eye contact while talking.
The social model of disability can be a helpful way of considering the difficulties someone faces, and how to adapt their environment so it works for them.
Common changes to an environment that can help autistic people include:
- sensory changes for example, being given a quiet space to work, being able to use sensory toys like fidget spinners, or being allowed to make noises while working
- communication changes for example, using email or apps to communicate, using very clear language, allowing additional time to ask questions, or using visual communication such as photos or pictures as well as written words
- routine keeping to a regular routine and giving warning of any changes as far in advance as possible
- infections
Clinical Development And Diagnoses
Leo Kannerearly infantile autism
The word autism first took its modern sense in 1938 when Hans Asperger of the Vienna University Hospital adopted Bleuler’s terminology autistic psychopaths in a lecture in German about child psychology. Asperger was investigating an ASD now known as Asperger syndrome, though for various reasons it was not widely recognized as a separate diagnosis until 1981.Leo Kanner of the Johns Hopkins Hospital first used autism in its modern sense in English when he introduced the label early infantile autism in a 1943 report of 11 children with striking behavioral similarities. Almost all the characteristics described in Kanner’s first paper on the subject, notably “autistic aloneness” and “insistence on sameness”, are still regarded as typical of the autistic spectrum of disorders. It is not known whether Kanner derived the term independently of Asperger.
Kanner’s reuse of autism led to decades of confused terminology like infantile schizophrenia, and child psychiatry’s focus on maternal deprivation led to misconceptions of autism as an infant’s response to “refrigerator mothers“. Starting in the late 1960s autism was established as a separate syndrome.
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Epilepsy Is Most Common In Autistic Children Over The Age Of Nine
In a nutshell, epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of seizures and associated with abnormal activity in the brain. Autism spectrum disorder statistics show that epilepsy is most common in autistic children over the age of nine. Whats more, autistic children over the age of ten have a 2.35 times higher chance of being diagnosed with epilepsy than younger children.
Important Autism Statistics For 2021
- The rate of ASD in the US grew by an estimated 14% in just 2 years.
- ASD generally appears before children hit 3 years.
- 64% of kids with autism have received therapy within the last 12 months.
- 1% of the adult population of the United Kingdom has ASD, according to autism statistics in the UK.
- Around 1% of the worlds population has autism.
- Research has shown that genetics are a major cause of ASD.
- Prematurely born babies or those born with a low birth weight have a higher risk of having autism spectrum disorder.
- Adults who have a child with autism have a 2%18% chance of having another child with the disorder.
- 4% of children with ASD lost their diagnosis by age 8.
- On average, autism costs families about $60,000 annually.
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Resources For Adults With Asd
- Autism Now has resources and information for individuals with autism, other developmental disabilities, and their families. A national initiative of The Arc.
- Autism Speaks Transition Tool Kit provides information about the transition to adulthood for individuals with ASD. In addition to the development of self-advocacy skills, the kit covers the topics of community life, housing, health, sexuality, internet safety, employment, and post-secondary educational opportunities.
- A Guide for Transition to Adulthood, which is part of the Life Journey Through Autism series by the Organization for Autism Research , is a comprehensive resource to aid in transition planning for individuals with ASD.
The Crucial Role Vitamin D Deficiency Might Play With Autism
Yet another recent study published by the National Institutes of Health found a link between autism and deficiency in Vitamin D.
They found that Neonatal vitamin D status was significantly associated with the risk of ASD and intellectual disability.
Therefore it stands to reason that both a prenatal vitamin for pregnant women as well as a vitamin D supplement for children might be a good idea. Always check with your doctor first though.
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Emergence Of Mental Health Comorbidities And Transition Into Adulthood
As they transition to adolescence and adulthood, people with ASD begin to exhibit a range of mental health comorbidities. In a UK sample of 10 to 14-year-olds with ASD, 70 % had at least one other psychiatric diagnosis and 41 % had two or more . The most commonly identified problems were anxiety disorders , attention disorder and oppositional disorder . Other studies corroborated the prevalence of co-occurring anxiety disorders alone as being about 40 % in children and adolescents with ASD compared to typically developing peers with a prevalence of about 532 % .
These findings highlight the many facets of autism and the need for continued screening and intervention adapted to the processes that may emerge during the unfolding life-long condition. There is a high risk for youth with ASD to develop an associated mental health problem and, thus, a need for screening to identify and address comorbid issues early on. Treatment of these additional conditions will not only lead to an improved quality of life, but also increase learning at school and add to adjustment in the community .
Can You Prevent Autism
There is not a cure for autism.
That being said, there are a lot of opinions on the causes of autism and ways of prevention.
Autism.com states that one of the best things can do is give herself six months or even a year to improve her diet and make better lifestyle choices .
She should consume organically grown grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and lean sources of protein.
Laying the foundation by putting herself in optimal shape prior to conceiving will go a long way in minimizing the chance of miscarriage, or developing other complications of pregnancy and delivery.
They go on to say that reducing or eliminating the white foods , chemical preservatives and processed foods may help prevent autism.
Lastly, they also recommend improving the gut bacteria which I get into more below.
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Claims Of A Link Between The Mmr Vaccine And Autism Have Since Been Disowned
In fact, the primary contributor to the dramatic spike in autism prevalence in recent decades is the fact that a broad range of children, teenagers, and adults on the spectrum are able to get diagnosed at all. Until the 1980s, there was no autism spectrum as a diagnostic category. The condition was defined very narrowly, and mistakenly thought of as rare a misconception that Kanner, again, helped to spread.
Kanner wished to avoid dilution of his syndrome, and discouraged diagnosis unless children precisely matched the core features he described in 1943. He once bragged that he turned away nine out of 10 of the children referred to his office for a diagnosis of autism.
In the US, this meant that parents through the 1980s often had to bring their child to nine or 10 specialists before finally obtaining an autism diagnosis, which meant that few working-class families or families of colour were able to afford one. And girls with autism were still virtually invisible to the psychiatric establishment until the end of the 20th Century.
Some researchers have been preoccupied with trying to find a trigger for autism, such as vaccines
When I interviewed Wing at the Lorna Wing Centre for Autism in Bromley in 2011 for NeuroTribes, she told me that she fully expected estimates of autism prevalence to rise after the spectrum concept was adopted, dismissing the idea that vaccines were responsible. Its a question of diagnosis, she said firmly.