Let’s look at the numbers.
The more current CDC autism prevalence estimates are for 8-year-old children across 11 monitoring sites in the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network.
- CDC Estimated rates of children aged 8 diagnosed with Autism:
- 2023 - 1 out of 36 children
- 2020 - 1 out of 54 children
- 2018 - 1 out of 59 children
- 2016 - 1 out of 68 children
- 2014 - 1 out of 68 children
- 2012 - 1 out of 88 children
- 2009 - 1 out of 110 children
- 2007- 1 out of 150 children
Why the Increase?
The general explanation for the increase in autism rates over the past few decades is typically related to a number of factors. It's the same story told over and over. These factors include that practitioners are becoming more capable of diagnosing mild autism that would have been missed years ago. Moreover, children who were misdiagnosed years ago, such as with ADHD or intellectual deficiency, are now being accurately diagnosed with autism.
Mild vs. Severe Autism
Another line of thinking is that rates of mild autism are increasing because mild autism would have been missed years ago (similar to what I mentioned above), but the rates of severe autism are about the same. However, that’s not accurate. Rates of autism are skyrocketing, and the rate of ‘profound’ autism is also increasing. In that respect, data shows that about one-quarter of children with autism have profound autism. I’m not so great with math, but one can cipher that if the rate of autism is increasing, so too is the rate of profound autism. Given that ¼ of the autistic population has profound autism and each year the targeted population size increases.
What About Increases in Other Childhood Conditions?
Is there any possible connection between the reason for increases in autism and similar increases in rates of ADHD, childhood allergies, general developmental disorders, and learning disorders among a slew of other childhood conditions? It’s even more disconcerting that the general health of our kids is progressively worsening.
What Can We Make of This?
I conduct autism evaluations numerous times daily. These children are delightful and endearing, and it’s expected that they will make substantial progress in their course of treatment. However, not uncommonly these precious kiddo’s are quite compromised and the parents are justifiably very worried and stressed. The road ahead for them is quite challenging, especially in the case of moderate to profound autism.
What is The Current Reaction?
I recall how everyone was astounded 20 years ago at the 1/150 rate. At the time, it was headline news on a daily basis. I wish it could be explained how the rate is now 1/36 and this situation is not headlined daily as a national emergency and a number-one priority at the CDC. If you recall, it wasn’t so long ago that we shut down our society for over a year due to a condition that was not known to impact healthy children. Are the big guns like Autismspeaks running daily ads for us to call our government representatives to pressure the CDC to laser-focus on this issue? I don’t see this concern even being broached much these days in the national or local media.
What Potential Causes Should be Investigated?
A better question is what shouldn’t be investigated? Is there anything off-limits? There seems to be a focus on genetics, and that’s warranted, but how would genetics explain the increase? How about toxins in our environment, air, or water? Processed foods? Additives like high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, BHA and BHT, food colorings, MSG? All would seem to be worthy targets.
Sadly, there are some areas that are taboo and cannot be mentioned without being called a quack, so most practitioners and researchers don’t even go there. Of course, one taboo subject would include vaccinations. It’s difficult to get past the fact that, when I was a kid, there were like 8 vaccinations by 18 months of age (and what was the autism rate in the 1960s?), and now it’s over 60 vaccinations administered in dozens of shots by 18 months.
Whether or not those vaccinations are necessary or effective is irrelevant – I’m not suggesting you don't get your child vaccinated! But you have a right to know whether there is a potential negative impact. Isn't there a potential negative impact of every medication? However, we’re told unequivocally and emphatically that there are no ill effects from vaccinations.
Does that sound reasonable? You have a right to know if there is a way to reduce any conceivable potential negative impact. Possible things could include further spacing-out the administration schedule, or are there some vaccinations for illnesses that are so rare that the vaccination can be discarded? In this current climate, these are questions that can’t even be asked let alone explored. I wonder if these questions will be asked when the rate is 1 out of 20?
If I’m off-base or ill-informed, or you have a different perspective, feel free to email and correct me at DrCarosso@aol.com or respond to me on Facebook.
