Autism Prevalence Rates in U.S. and Northern Ireland Continue to Rise
At the height of the fear and confusion associated with the declaration of a coronavirus pandemic public health emergency and strict social distancing regulations in the spring of 2020, U.S. health officials published a report that, in 2016, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was estimated to affect one in 54 eight-year old children in the U.S., […]
Autism Numbers Increase by 8.5 Percent in U.S.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of children diagnosed with autism in the United States continues to increase. In a report published on Mar. 27, 2020, the CDC estimated the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the country is now 1 in 54 children—up from 1 in […]
Autism Prevalence is Declining in California Counties With Higher Incomes
Story Highlights Researchers have documented that the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is declining in financially secure, predominantly Caucasian communities in California, in contrast to steeply rising rates seen in counties where many families of every race are living in poverty. Researchers did not determine whether the observed declines are related to accessibility of […]
The Media’s Obsession With the ‘Debunked’ Lancet Study
How many times have you read or heard about the “debunked”1 2 3 study published in the British medical journal The Lancet in 1998 that described “gastrointestinal and developmental regression in a group of previously normal children?”4 Probably lots of times, particularly if you follow the debate on the safety of vaccines and the ethics of mandatory vaccination. […]
Autism Rate in New Jersey Up 43 Percent
A study by Rutgers University has found that the rate of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) four-year-old children in New Jersey rose by 43 percent from 2010 to 2014, to an estimated rate of 1 in 35 children—the highest of any state in the United States. According to the research, which was published earlier this year […]
Scientists Find Chronic Brain Inflammation in Children With Autism
Story Highlights A new study out of Tufts University suggests that inflammation may be the “main driver” in the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Chronic inflammation, of the brain and the gut, have long been recognized as playing a role in ASD, though the relationships played by each remain unsettled. ASD, along with many […]