Autism is commonly said to cut across all lines of race, class, and ethnicity. Emerging trends show that rising rates of autism are being reported worldwide and are not concentrated in any one particular region. As far as we know, race, ethnicity, family income and educational levels do not affect the chance of the disorder’s occurrence.  However, a recent CDC study made public this month showed that autism is more common in non-Hispanic white children but that there have been increases in all racial groups. It remains uncertain whether the prominence of autism is an indication that the condition is in fact on the rise or it is merely a sign of increased public awareness and better diagnosis.  What is certain is that the rise in the number of autistic spectrum disorder cases worldwide has pushed the condition to the forefront of public consciousness. While as a society we have made considerable progress in our attitudes about autism, controversy remains over the causes of autism and how we can prevent it. Following are some autism statistics that may help you gain a clearer picture of autism spectrum disorder.

While it was previously thought that Autism is estimated to occur in as many as 1 out of every 150 births in the U.S, recent CDC studies show that number may be as high as 1 in 100.

The CDC states that autism cases are four to five times higher among boys than girls, with 1 in 70 boys and 1 in 315 girls identified.

Between 1 to 1.5 million Americans are afflicted with an autism spectrum disorder.

A child with an autistic sibling is 25 times more likely to develop the condition

Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disorder in the country, with a registered growth rate of 10% to 17% every year.

While there is currently no known cure for autism, applied behavior analysis (ABA) is widely regarded as the most effective treatment for autism and is the only scientifically proven method boasting evidenced-backed research to support its effectiveness.

According to the government’s latest estimate released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about 1 in 110 children have autism. This is a small change from their preliminary estimate of 1 in 100 that was announced in October but a staggering 57% increase from their 1994 rate of 1 in 150, the autism prevalence statistic most heavily quoted by media and community advocates. The adjustment from the October study apparently comes from a more complete analysis of reports from 11 states. Another government study released this past fall had put the number at closer to 1 in 90.  The exact figure might not be as important as the fact that the prevalence of autism is increasing and will fuel the argument for increased government spending on research into the causes of autism as well as a cure. To date, there is no cure for autism.  However, many families see dramatic improvements when early intervention using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is implemented. 

Some experts say the increase may be due in part to better diagnosis and changes in how well records are kept.  But most would agree that the increase can not be entirely explained by better diagnosis.  And while tremendous strides have been made into genetic research, more research needs to be done on environmental factors that more than likely play a role in the increase.

These new numbers confirm what many of us in the autism community know, which is that we need to address the growing national autism health crisis.  Hopefully these new findings will compel our government to take further action to pledge money to the funding of safe and effective treatments for the growing autism population.

On December 8th, Time magazine released a list of the Top 10 Medical Breakthroughs of 2009.  Named number 7 on the list was “New Research on Autism”. Time cited the largest-ever genetic study of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), published in April in the journal Nature, by a group led by Hakon Hakonarson, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Center for Applied Genomics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. That study identified DNA variations that account for as many as 15 percent of all ASD cases. Because the gene region affects how brain cells connect with each other in early childhood, the research significantly advances the understanding of how autism originates. TIME reports that the cause of autism is still unknown and the rise in cases is continuing; 1 in 100 American children are diagnosed with autism.

Time also cited research done at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. “Working with the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange — a DNA database of more than 2,000 families affected by autism, and the largest genetic study of the disorder ever attempted — researchers zeroed in on variations in genes that code for proteins involved in forming connections in the brain. Differences in these particular genes are extremely common — present in more than half of healthy people — but they are even more common in people with autism, affecting 65%.” According to Penn Medicine News, “In June, Penn Medicine autism genetic experts announced that they had identified an additional 27 genetic variations where missing or extra copies of DNA segments were found in children with ASD. “

Co-senior author of one of the studies, Gerard Schellenberg, PhD, stated “This work yields important clues on what goes awry during development in children with autism and will help us focus on what is the cause of autism at a molecular level. This would not have been possible without the more than 10,000 children who contributed DNA for this study – including more than 4,500 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder – and the outstanding dedication of their families and the autism research community.”

Autism: Kids Put at Risk is the name of an article that appeared in the December 7th issue of the LA Times Health Section.  The article is in essence an expose of biomedical treatments for autism being promoted by a select group of physicians.  The piece follows another investigation conducted by the Chicago Tribune and states that “after reviewing thousands of pages of court documents and scientific studies and interviewing top researchers in the field, an investigation by the Chicago Tribune found that many of these treatments amount to uncontrolled experiments on vulnerable children. The therapies often go beyond harmless New Age folly. Many are unproven and risky, based on flawed, preliminary or misconstrued scientific research. Lab tests used to justify therapies are often misleading and misinterpreted. And though some parents fervently believe their children have benefited, the investigation found a trail of disappointing results from the few clinical trials conducted to evaluate the treatments objectively.”

Some of the more questionable approaches include Chelation, a treatment where the patient is given a drug that binds to heavy metals to be excreted in urine. The theory is that it will rid the body of heavy metals but it carries significant risks including death. According to court records, a 5-year old boy with autism died in 2005 after experiencing a heart attack while being intravenously chelated at his doctor’s office.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is another highly risky treatment purported to help treat autism by reducing inflammation. Patients are sealed in pressurized chambers which are enriched with extra oxygen. It carries a risk of oxygen toxicity.  Last month, the Center for Autism & Related Disorders (CARD) published the results of a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial stating that researchers found no differences between HBOT and placebo groups across any of the outcome measures. The present study demonstrates that HBOT does not result in a clinically significant improvement in the symptoms of Autistic Disorder.

With such high risk and questionable results, why would a parent be willing to expose their child to such dangerous therapies? The article contends that many of the parents are desperate.  Until someone has spent a day in the shoes of a parent dealing with autism, it would be unapprised to pass judgment. But the real reason probably has to do with lack of treatment recommendations by the medical community.  If a desperate parent attends a conference and hears stories of improvement that offer hope from other parents and physicians, that is far more persuasive than a pediatrician who is going to spout off statistical studies.  But parents need to know that the results of these therapies may have more developmental explanations. With early intervention, children with autism often show natural improvement at the age of 3 or 4 and by age 5, many make so much progress they can be indistinguishable from their typical peers. This happens regardless of whether the child is undergoing alternative therapies.

To date, applied behavior analysis (ABA) is the only safe and effective method of autism treatment backed by evidence-based scientific research. It is considered the gold standard in autism treatment and has been endorsed by the U.S. Surgeon General But ABA requires commitment, support and can be quite costly.  To prevent a parent from agreeing to these risky alternative therapies, the medical community needs to offer a more streamlined response in terms of treatment recommendations, resources, and ongoing support.