From: The News Journal
Our View
New surveys indicate autism more common than suspected
October 6, 2009
Public school teachers and early childhood caregivers have long whispered about an increase in autism cases.
Over the weekend, reports of two federal government studies confirmed those anecdotal suspicions with stunning new evidence that 1 percent of American schoolchildren are predisposed to autism spectrum disorder. Characteristic behavior includes impaired social interaction, difficulty with communication and repetitive behaviors.
Data from the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health estimate that 1 in every 91 children has a prevalence for some form of autism, which translates into about 673,000 American children.
That study was based on phone interviews with parents who said a doctor gave their child a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's estimate of 1 in every 100 children is the result of a more substantive study based on medical and special-education records of 8-year-olds in the national Autism and Developmental Disability Monitoring network. Researchers and clinicians actually went through the records to confirm diagnoses and identify children who may have been missed.
The new data place the U.S. on par with rates reported in England, Japan, Sweden and Canada. And it supports the case to step up federal support for autism-related services here at home.
Over a lifetime, health care costs for someone with autism are estimated to be more than $1.6 million.
There is a shared public responsibility in terms of education and social services support as these children mature into adulthood. As such, it makes sense that autism is the only disorder specifically targeted for federal stimulus funds, to the tune of $85 million over the next two years.
No comments: