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Autism diagnoses rising among US children, adults; here’s why
A compilation of data from more than 12 million patients enrolled in major US health care systems revealed that the number of people diagnosed with autism is expected to increase by 175 percent between 2011 and 2022. The study, published in the journal JAMA Open Network, says the increase in diagnoses has been particularly dramatic among young adults aged 26 to 34 — experiencing a 450 percent increase — more than a 5.5-fold increase in autism diagnoses. Read on to find out what’s causing the surge.
The increase in diagnoses has been particularly dramatic among young adults ages 26 to 34 — experiencing a 450 percent increase.
There has been a big jump in new cases autism Researchers report that in addition to the increase in diagnoses among girls and young women in the US in just over a decade, there has been an increase in diagnoses among young adults. The number of people diagnosed with autism has increased by 175 percent, according to data from more than 12 million patients enrolled in major US health systems between 2011 and 2022, published in the journal JAMA Open Network.
Also known as autism spectrum disorder, autism is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact, communicate, learn, and behave with others. Although autism can be diagnosed at any age, it is known as a developmental disorder because its symptoms appear in the first years of life.
Autism cases on the rise among young adults
According to the report, the increase in diagnoses has been particularly dramatic among young adults aged 26 to 34 – experiencing a 450 percent increase – with autism diagnoses increasing by more than 5.5 times between 2011 and 2022. Although boys are still four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls, the gender gap in diagnosis is narrowing, said the team led by Luke Grosvenor of Kaiser Permanente’s research division in Pleasanton, California.
The data also showed that while new diagnoses among male children increased by 185 percent during the study period, those among girls increased by 305 percent. Grosvenor’s group found that autism diagnoses among adult females increased by 315 percent between 2011 and 2022, while males increased by 215 percent.
Why is autism increasing among youth?
According to researchers, the numbers are increasing due to under-diagnosis of the condition along with a lack of education to bring autism spectrum disorders out of the shadows. Experts call for greater openness among Americans to get themselves or their children tested for the condition.
Additionally, the study team says that recently, there have been changes in developmental screening practices for children, as well as changes in “diagnosis definitions, policies, and environmental factors,” which may play a role in the increase in the number of cases. Are. To account for the increase in diagnoses among girls and women, Grosvenor’s team pointed to research suggesting that “gendered behavioral norms” may lead women to “socially conceal autistic symptoms.”
Rates of autism are highest in very young children. According to this tally, about 30 out of every 1,000 children ages 5 to 8 are diagnosed with autism. That’s slightly higher than the 27.6-per-1,000 (about 1 in 36) rate typically seen in children in 2020, according to calculations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The researchers also stressed that the new data may still underreport the number of cases of autism spectrum disorders, especially in adults. “The rates reported here may underestimate the true prevalence of ASD in adults, particularly older female adults, as many may not have been screened and diagnosed in childhood,” the researchers said.
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