The number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in the U.S. jumped 23 percent from 2006 to 2008, according to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A report released Thursday said one in 88 children were diagnosed with the disorder in 2008.
"I think this demonstrates that over the past 10 years, there's been a big increase in awareness and screening for the autism spectrum," said Mary Beth Bruder, director of A. J. Pappanikou Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at UConn Health Center.
"Most parents are savvy and want the best for their kids," Bruder said. "They are much more aware. A few years ago their physician or even pediatrician might not have raised the issue."
Connecticut was not among the 14 locations included in the CDC study. Bruder said the state has a prevalence of 1 in 84 children, slightly higher than the national average.
The authors of the CDC study note that the rate of diagnosis varied widely among the 14 locations cited. The highest prevalence was in Utah, where one in 47 children were diagnosed with ASD. The lowest was in Alabama, which had a prevalence of one in 210.
The autism spectrum encompasses three classifications of disorders: Asperger's, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and autism. Symptoms of ASD can range from mildly impaired social skills to severe cognitive and behavioral problems.
Some have charged that ASD is over-diagnosed. Bruder said whether certain behaviors that show up in ASD screenings indicate that the child has ASD or simply a developmental delay, the important thing is that the child receives attention.
John Molteni, director of Saint Joseph College Institute for Autism and Behavioral Studies, said that awareness is continuing to increase and that diagnoses will likely continue to climb as a result.
"But I expect at some point it will level off," Molteni said. He added that proposed changes to the definition of ASD for the forthcoming edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders could significantly change how diagnoses are made.
Tierney Giannotti, associate director of the Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, said parents are being educated in certain behaviors that could signal autism — whether they respond to their name being called, for instance, or whether they pay attention to the same things as others around them.
Earlier this year, Giannotti was named Connecticut's ambassador for the CDC's Act Early campaign to promote early intervention for children with autism. The earlier the disorder is identified and treated, she said, the better the outcomes are for children.
The CDC report found that children are increasingly being diagnosed before age 3, although most aren't diagnosed until after 4.
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