How Many People Worldwide Have Autism

What Are The Most Common Causes

The most common causes of intellectual disabilities are:

Genetic conditions. Sometimes an intellectual disability is caused by abnormal genes inherited from parents, errors when genes combine, or other reasons. Examples of genetic conditions are Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, and phenylketonuria .

Complications during pregnancy. An intellectual disability can result when the baby does not develop inside the mother properly. For example, there may be a problem with the way the babys cells divide. A woman who drinks alcohol or gets an infection like rubella during pregnancy may also have a baby with an intellectual disability.

Problems during birth. If there are complications during labor and birth, such as a baby not getting enough oxygen, he or she may have an intellectual disability.

Diseases or toxic exposure. Diseases like whooping cough, the measles, or meningitis can cause intellectual disabilities. They can also be caused by extreme malnutrition, not getting appropriate medical care, or by being exposed to poisons like lead or mercury.

We know that intellectual disability is not contagious: you cant catch an intellectual disability from anyone else. We also know its not a type of mental illness, like depression. There are no cures for intellectual disability. However, children with intellectual disabilities can learn to do many things. They may just need take more time or learn differently than other children.

How Is Autism Diagnosed

There is no blood test or genetic profile that allows a doctor to conclusively make an autism diagnosis. Frazier says that diagnosing ASD involves looking at a child’s behavior and overall development.

Most pediatricians regularly screen all children for developmental delays and disabilities between 9 months and 30 months. But if your child has a sibling with ASD or if you or another caregiver has concerns that certain symptoms may be signs of autism, you can talk to your child’s doctor at any time .

Initial autism screening usually involves checking that a child is meeting developmental milestones or if there are developmental delays. This could involve asking a parent questions about the child or interacting or playing with the child to see how he or she behaves.

What Is The Rate Of Autism In Australia

Australia does make the list of the 15 countries with the lowest rates of autism.

In fact, it comes in #13 with a rate of 1 in 70 people having autism. Its also worth noting that Autism Spectrum Australia found that rates had increased by 40% in recent years as they had been 1 out if every 100 people back in 2014.

As with much of the developed and developing world, that doesnt exactly correlate to an actual increase in autism.

No, how autism gets diagnosed and reported is constantly evolving. So while theres no doubt the autism epidemic is increasing, some of the changes in numbers are just tied to how we track it.

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How Many Children And Youth Were Identified With Asd In 2015

A combined prevalence of 1 in 66 children and youth 517 years of age were diagnosed with ASD in 2015 across the seven participating PTs . The number of children and youth with ASD varied between PTs, from 1 in 126 in the Yukon to 1 in 57 in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Figure 3 – ASD prevalence among 517 year olds, 2015

Figure 3 – Text description

This figure visually represents the number of children identified with ASD. By including 66 stick figures of males and females and having one figure uniquely coloured, it visualizes that one in every 66 children, 5-17 years old, was identified with ASD in 2015.

Famous Athletes With Autism

Among other celebrities with autism are amazing athletes. If you dont recognize some of these people, dont fret but when I researched them they are indeed celebrities within their field!

Is Lionel Messi Autistic? The Autistic Community Network out of Australia reports that he is on the spectrum. (image source: , Wikipedia

Diagnosed with Autism

• Armani Williams Racecar Driver
• Samuel Von Einem Table Tennis Star

Reported/Rumored to Have Autism

• Lionel Messi Soccer Player

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What Are The Immediate Takeaways From This List Of Countries With Lowest Autism Rates

• Asian countries dominate the list
• Northern European countries also dominate the list
• Generally speaking, the more developed a country, the higher the rate of autism
• For conspiracy buffs, its interesting to note that Poland, the country with the lowest rates of autism, does, in fact, have mandatory vaccinations
• That being said, Poland only mandates 11 vaccines, spread out over 20 shots from birth through 7 months of age
• Compare that the CDCs recommended 15 vaccines in the US spread out over 20 shots from birth through 6 months
• From a dietary standpoint, its interesting to note that the typical Polish meals are spread out over 5 meals instead of 3 with the largest meal being around 2pm
• Europe and parts of Asia also take a much stronger stance against the use of added growth hormones in meat and dairy than The US
• There are not any countries with no autism

But in the end, there is not conclusive evidence thus far on exactly why some countries have significantly lower rates of autism than others.

Is Autism On The Rise Worldwide

Yes is the short answer.

Its worth noting that researchers havent been tracking autism for decades. In fact, serious tracking didnt start until 2000.

Its also worth noting that unlike many other conditions, there isnt a blood test or scan that can detect autism. So we are relying 100% on doctors and researchers to objectively agree on criteria and diagnose in a consistent manner.

That is to say, its probably not very consistent compared to tracking of other diseases and conditions.

That being said, its undeniable that autism IS on the rise. The World Health Organization puts the autism rates by country at 1 in 160. The CDC has noted a 15% increase in autism spectrum disorder diagnosis over the past 2 years and a whopping 181% increase from 2004 to 2018.

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Countries With The Highest Rates Of Autism In The World

Autism and autism spectrum disorder are really taking its toll on these 11 countries with the highest rates of autism in the world. One of the most prevalent development disorders in the world is making a huge impact on peoples lives and despite ever growing number of diagnosed children, nothing resembling a cure is in the sight. Your best bet on learning most about autism is to check out this one of the best selling books on autism on Amazon Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew: Updated and Expanded Edition.

The earliest mention of autism like behavior goes back to 16th-century church reformer Martin Luther. The term itself was coined in 1910 by Eugen Bleuler, a Swiss psychiatrist, to describe the behavior of some of his patients. But it wasnt until 1938 that autism was first studied in depth and the word came to its modern meaning. Hans Asperger used it to describe a type of ASD we know today as Asperger syndrome.

China is another example of this, with official autism rate of 16.9 cases per 10,000 people, but as autism awareness increases, so does the number of diagnosed children and many experts believe that Chinese rates are on par with the rest of the world, but are simply undiagnosed.

Emergence Of Disability And Its Impact

Common comorbidities associated with autism include physical symptoms such as insomnia, eating and digestive difficulties, along with intellectual disability and psychiatric symptoms of anxiety, inattention, irritability, and behaviour difficulties . One or a combination of these symptoms may significantly increase disability for the person affected.

Current estimates of associated intellectual disability vary. For example, recent estimates from two large-scale, records-based surveillance studies conducted in the US suggest that ID occurs in about 50 % of children classified as having ASD, whereas other samples around the world have identified ID as the most common comorbidity ranging from 24 % to 95 % in South East Asia , suggesting that association of autism and disability is likely sample-dependent.

Core impairments of autism and associated deficits in adaptive social, communication, and daily living skills, may emerge with equal severity in a person who is cognitively impaired and a person with above-average IQ . The frequent observation that the level of adaptive functioning is typically significantly lower than would be expected based on cognitive ability in ASD is corroborated by evidence that normal or near-normal IQ, while necessary, may not be sufficient for better outcomes .

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What Is The National Autism Spectrum Disorder Surveillance System

NASS is a collaboration of federal, provincial and territorial governments, working to build a comprehensive picture of ASD in Canada. NASS will contribute evidence to help inform critical planning of programs, services and research that impact Canadians living with ASD, their families and caregivers.

Led and coordinated by PHAC, NASS tracks the occurrence and demographic characteristics of children and youth with ASD, including estimates of prevalence, incidence and key characteristics, patterns and trends both over time and across geographic regions. NASS collects, analyzes and reports ASD data from multiple sectors such as health, education and social services.

The key objectives of NASS are to:

• Estimate how many children and youth in Canada have ASD and how many new cases are emerging over time
• Describe the population of children and youth in Canada with ASD and compare patterns within Canada and internationally
• Increase public awareness and understanding and,
• Inform research, policy and program decision-making.

What Is An Intellectual Disability

Intellectual disability is a term used when a person has certain limitations in cognitive functioning and skills, including communication, social and self-care skills. These limitations can cause a child to develop and learn more slowly or differently than a typically developing child. Intellectual disability can happen any time before a child turns 18 years old, even before birth.

Intellectual disability is the most common developmental disability.

According to the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, an individual has intellectual disability if he or she meets three criteria:

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Who Is Affected By Autism

Although tens of millions of people worldwide carry the diagnosis of autism, this disorder affects more than just those individuals who have it. Parents, siblings, grandparents, teachers, community workers, and friends are also affected. In addition, public education and health systems are paying billions of dollars to care for children on the autism spectrum, and they receive their funds from individual taxpayers. No matter what the official worldwide prevalence rate is, nearly everyone in the world is at least indirectly affected by this devastating disorder.

Boys Are Four Times More Likely To Have Asd Than Girls

From the many statistics laid out concerning the disorder, several conclusions have been reached regarding how many people are affected by it. The most recognized comes from the CDC, showing that every 1 in 59 persons has ASD to some degree. However, ASD rates are clearly higher in boys when we look at the data from a gender-based perspective. And autism in girls is significantly less common. Its been determined that 1 in 38 boys and 1 in 152 girls have experienced or still experience autism spectrum disorder.

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Important Autism Statistics To Be Aware Of In 2021

written by Mira Rakicevic / January 11, 2021

In simple terms, autism is a neurological condition that impedes the rate at which a person learns and affects the way they communicate and interact with other people.

Autism statistics show that this is a major health concern experienced by many all around the world. The neurological condition is a disorder that is most commonly found in children and sometimes continues to affect them as they grow. As established by the CDC, its present in about 1 in 59 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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Autism Statistics Worldwide Reveal That One In 160 Children Is Autistic

While some people are diagnosed in childhood, others get proper diagnoses much later. Note that the disorder affects people differentlysome autistic people can live independently, while others require more support or life-long care. Whats more, autistic people and their families might incur considerable expenses as access to much-needed services is still inadequate in many places.

Early Identification Of Asd

There is overwhelming evidence from biomedical and clinical research that delivering support early on in childhood can result in improvements in the developmental processes and quality of life for people with autism across the life-span. Therefore, in many communities early intervention is increasingly viewed as an effective way to reduce burden and costs to society in the long run. Moreover, availability and effectiveness of early intervention are directly motivated by the ability of children with autism to exercise their human rights to inclusion, education, and play.Nevertheless, early detection of ASD continues to constitute a global challenge, both in HICs and LMICs . The majority of tools for screening and diagnosis have been developed in HICs, and they have variable utility outside high-resource settings and/or research contexts. This creates not only challenges in the utilization of these instruments in LMICs due to barriers related to financial cost and the need for cultural adaptation and validation, but also in low-resource settings in HICs, which often lack highly trained health care professionals.

From diverse cultural and socio-economic perspectives, some practice guidelines for the identification of autism therefore have limited utility, especially in LMICs . Researchers and clinicians around the globe have expressed the need for improved exchange of information and continuous dialogue around the availability of diagnostic instruments and their adaptation .

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Global Autism Rates Explained: How Many People Have Autism

• James Sinclair
• 8

Depending on the year, country and sample size, guesses regarding how many people have autism can vary anywhere between 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 38. However, given that these statistics leave more room for interpretation than apparently every FedEx delivery address I have ever given, Im sure youll agree that the How many people have autism guessing game shouldnt end there.

So, in this article, you will find an ever-changing list of how many people have autism per country as well as a look into what is driving autism rates around the world.

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.

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Level : Requiring Support

Level 1 ASD is the mildest, or the most high-functioning, form of autism. Children with level 1 ASD have a hard time communicating appropriately with others. For example, they may not say the right thing at the right time or be able to read social cues and body language.

A person with ASD level 1 usually is able to speak in full sentences and communicate, but has trouble engaging in back-and-forth conversation with others. They may try to make friends, but not be very successful.

They may also be inflexible in certain ways and have trouble moving from one activity to another. Additionally, they may have problems with organization and planning that prevent them from being as independent as expected for their age.

What Is The Best Therapy For Autism

Brian Udell, MD, is the director of the Child Development Center of America.

He claims that autism is often accompanied by gastrointestinal conditions.

People on the autism spectrum disorder often have:

• chronic diarrhea
• food allergies

There is currently no cure for autism or specifically recommended treatment.

However, removing specific food items from the diet and ensuring healthy gut bacteria have been shown to improve the symptoms of autism.

A recent study published by the National Institutes of Health found that a gluten-free diet was effective in reducing some autism symptoms, and 2 groups of investigators also reported improvement in nonverbal cognition.

Other parents have tried removing highly allergic food items such as eggs, fish, nuts, dairy, and soy. The best strategy is to eliminate all items in question from the diet.

Then slowly reintroduce them 1 at a time to see the effects.

Healthy eating for all children is essential, but this is even more true for kids with autism.

Going back to Brian Udell, MD, he recommends avoiding:

• heavily processed foods
• preservatives
• hormones & antibiotics in meat and dairy

He also recommends omega-3 fatty acids to reduce inflammation and a probiotic with 1.5 to 4 billion bacterial parts to improve gastrointestinal health.

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