Why are rates of autism in children rising in such dramatic fashion?
In an very disconcerting study, the rate of autism has jumped significantly and now stands at 1 in 45 — quite a significant number.
If you asked most people why this is, you might get a range of responses. Some might say the growing usage of vaccines. Some might argue that air pollution is harming our children’s brains as they developed. Still others might blame infections or other diseases. But the real reason why is much more surprising: interviews simply changed how they asked one question, according to a Forbes report.
The increase was massive: the incidence of autism in children jumped from 1.25 percent in 2013 to 2.24 percent in 2014 — nearly double. Such a huge change over one year certainly couldn’t have been from any change in our environment or in the medical community, so what was it?
As it turns out, in the 2011 through 2013 survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, parents were asked three questions — 1) Does your child have an intellectual disability, 2) does your child have any delay in development, and 3) does your child have any conditions, whether it be Down syndrome or sickle cell anemia or a range of other ailments.
But this past year, there was a change. The first question remained the same, but the second question was changed to whether their child had an actual ASD diagnosis, and the third question was about any other developmental delay.
This emphasis on autism in the questioning resulted in far more positive responses compared to previous surveys.
It’s all part of a trend toward better recognition of autism in children. So while rising rates may seem to be troubling, perhaps it’s actually a good thing, and children will get the help they need when they need it.