(ChattahBox)—A new study shows an alarming increase in cases of autism since 2003, representing about 1 percent of children in the United States ages 3 to 17. The study also included related disorders under the umbrella diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Doctors are calling for a greater national response to the problem.
The study was jointly conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and the Health Resources and Services Administration. The two agencies used data from the federal government’s 2007 national survey of children’s health.
The telephone survey of more than 78,000 parents, having children ages 3 to 17.
The results of the study showed an increase in cases of ASD from the nearly 1 in 150 cases found in 2003 to 1 in 100, which represents an increase from the average. The increase in autism cases means there are about 673,000 children in the United States with autism and related disorders.
In the survey, parents were asked whether a health care provider had ever told them their child had an autism spectrum disorder.
The investigators also asked a follow-up question: Were the children considered to have ASD now? Nearly 40 percent of the parents and guardians said no.
This additional finding led the researchers to question whether some of the children may have been improperly diagnosed from the outset, because there is no cure for the disorder.
Nevertheless, the increase in diagnoses of autism and related disorders, such as Asperger’s, shows a need for a multi-faceted national policy to effectively deal with the consequences of the disorder throughout the lives of affected individuals.
Dr. Ileana Arias, deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, “This is a significant issue that needs immediate attention.” “A concerted effort and substantial national response is warranted,” added Arias.
The study authors stress the importance of policies in the schools that would lead to early identification and intervention of ASD.
The researchers warn that the results from the study could stem from an increased awareness of the disorder leading to more diagnoses. But Dr. Ileana Arias has also discovered the same increase in ASD cases in an additional study conducted by the CDC.
The study is published in the latest issue of the journal Pediatrics.
No comments:
Post a Comment