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Autism Prevalence RateThe autism prevalence rate is now estimated to occur in as many as 1 in 150 births (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2007). An estimated 50 children are diagnosed with autism every day. Individuals diagnosed with autism are now estimated to be in the tens of millions. Autism is four times more prevalent in boys than girls. Current statistics show autism occurs in all racial, ethnic and social groups.
Autism is "a continuing urgent public health concern." In early 2007 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported data in its 2002 study, a new diagnosis rate of one in 150. The study consists of about 10% of U.S. eight-year-old children born in 1994 from 14 states - Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin. A total of 2,685 eight-year-olds were identified as having an Autism Spectrum Disorder. The study found a higher autism prevalence rate in boys than girls (2.8-6 boys to girls, depending on the state) and no statistically significant difference among white and black children. New Jersey had the highest rate of autism ever recorded in the United States: one in 94 children, and one in 60 boys. The average age of earliest ASD diagnosis ranged between 4-5 years. But for 51–91 percent of children with an ASD, developmental concerns had been recorded before 24 months. This underscores the need for earlier identification of autism. To read the full study visit: www.cdc.gov
 Many autistic children have learning disabilities. While others have average intelligence, and some individuals are above average. There are also individuals with autism who are considered "savants," which means they have exceptional skills in at least one area, i.e. art, music, math or memory. While autism is one of the most common developmental disorders American children face, many professionals in the medical and educational fields are still unaware of the best methods to diagnose and treat the disorder. What is known is that once a diagnosis is made, initiating early intervention services significantly improves outcomes for people with autism and can reduce the level of funding and services needed later in life. A recent Zogby poll finds: Caucasians (35 percent) are more likely than Hispanics (25 percent) or African Americans (22 percent) to know someone with autism. People with higher education and higher household incomes are also more likely to say they personally know someone with autism. And almost half (47 percent, up from 37 percent in 2002) of those who know someone with autism describe their relationship to this person as a friend or neighbor. The remaining results were identical to 2002, with 14 percent reporting that an immediate family member has autism and in 11 percent of cases, a distant relative. Return to Home page
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