Are Autism Rates Rising?
The rates of autism in children have been steadily rising for nearly 20 years now.
In March 2023, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released two reports that showed that the rate of autism had risen to one in 36 children. That marked a fairly big increase from the one-in-44 rate from just two years before that, and a monumental increase from the one-in-110 rate measured back in 2006.
Many people have naturally questioned why the prevalence of autism has been so dramatically on the rise. Unfortunately, there isn’t one simple answer.
There are many factors as to why autism rates1 are rising. Some of the most commonly-accepted ones are explained in more depth below.
Table Of Contents
Better Awareness
One of the biggest factors contributing to the rise of autism rates is the fact that the diagnostics that doctors and medical professionals have today are much better than they once were.
We know so much more about autism today that we did even 20 years ago. That means that doctors have not only gotten better at diagnosing children with autism, but the information they have been able to disseminate to parents, caregivers and others who are around children all the time is more detailed.
For example, pediatricians ask parents about their child’s development at all the scheduled “well” visits in the first few years of the child’s life. They also discuss what to look out for and what they should do if they believe that their child might have autism.
This has led to more parents seeking help and, as a result, more autism assessments.
Better Diagnostics
As mentioned, the tools that medical professionals have at their disposal to not only spot but diagnose autism are much better today than they were not long ago.
In 2013, new changes were introduced to what is one of the most commonly-accepted diagnostic criteria for autism — the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-5.
As of that year, multiple separate developmental disorders were wrapped into one — what is now known as autism spectrum disorder, or ASD.
This new approach to diagnosing ASD is much more inclusive and allows professionals to more easily and accurately diagnose children with autism.
Many professionals believe that many people in the past were actually misdiagnosed2 as having an intellectual disability, when in reality, they had ASD. It’s a belief that’s actually based in some statistical reality, too, as the rates of intellectual disabilities and other childhood disorders have decreased as the autism prevalence rate has increased.
Better Training
Along with increased awareness and diagnostic tools has come better education and training for medical professionals. Medical students are able to learn more in-depth about autism during their schooling.
This enables them to be better equipped to diagnose children with autism from a young age. This knowledge is now dispersed to more professionals, too, and not just those who specialize in autism.
It also includes pediatricians, as mentioned before, school teachers and other specialists. With more people familiar with the common signs and symptoms of autism, more referrals can be made for in-depth assessments and testing, which often results in more accurate diagnoses.
Improved Methods for Data Collection
Another factor playing a part in the increased rates of autism is the fact that the methods organizations use to collect relevant data for large studies are much improved. The CDC’s studies, for example, analyze a wide population from a variety of different sources.
This is much easier and more accurate to do today than it was 20 years ago. By pooling all of this data together, an organization such as the CDC can get a more accurate picture of what the autism prevalence rate really is.
And since so much of autism diagnoses has been standardized through the DSM-5 and other methods, it’s a true apples-to-apples comparison.
Blue Gems ABA Can Diagnose and Treat Autism
Autism rates are on the rise, but there are many positive reasons for this. Many of the factors actually relate to the understanding and knowledge of autism, as well as the ability for professionals to more accurately diagnosis it.
At Blue Gems ABA, we have a team of experienced therapists who can administer applied behavioral analysis, or ABA therapy, to help children with ASD gain the communication, social and daily life skills they often struggle with.
To learn more, please contact us today.
617-297-7998
617-340-3371
info@bluegemsaba.com
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