New study reports that 1 in 50 school children have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
The survey results were released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is now estimated that at least 1 million children have autism.
The data used to determine the current rate of Autism was compiled from a national telephone survey of households with school children. The data was drawn from the 2007 and 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) and compared to achieve the new estimates.
This recent study does not replace the official numbers of 1 in 88 children with autism, but it does draw attention that many children that are not currently receiving medical or special education services for Autism could be missed. It suggests that 1 in 88 may be a significant underestimation of prevalence of autism in the U.S according to Autism Speaks Associated Director of Public Health Research, Michael Rosanoff, M.P.H .
It has previously been thought that children were diagnosed with Autism by age 8, but the new study sheds light on many children diagnosed after the age of 8. It is believed that those children are on the milder end of the spectrum with the difficulties more apparent as school becomes more demanding and social needs become more complex.
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