| This growing awareness of the disorder has led to | | | | which affects 1 in 20,000, receives $160 million; |
| an increase in information and support available to | | | | cystic fibrosis, which affects 1 in 5,000, receives |
| parents. So what are the latest autism statistics? | | | | $75 million; and juvenile diabetes, which affects 1 |
| Who is Affected | | | | in 500, receives $140 million. |
| Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) has prepared a | | | | Increasing Diagnoses |
| summary of the latest statistics from the U.S. | | | | According to David Kirby, author of Evidence of |
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and | | | | Harm, in the 1980's, 1 to 2 per 10,000 children in |
| reports that approximately 1 million people in the | | | | the US was diagnosed with autism. This number |
| US have autism. About 1 in 150 children is | | | | increased to 20 per 10,000 in the late 1990's. In |
| diagnosed with autism. Because boys are | | | | 2000, the number increased to 40 in 10,000, and |
| diagnosed more often than girls, that translates to | | | | in 2004, increased again to 60 in 10,000. |
| 1 in 94 males. | | | | Cause of Increase is Subject of Debate |
| Every 20 minutes, a new case of autism is | | | | Researchers are unclear about whether this |
| diagnosed; about 24,000 new cases are diagnosed | | | | increase is due to an actual increase in cases or |
| annually. In the state of California, about 7 out of | | | | to better diagnosis. An argument against the |
| 10 children diagnosed with autism are under 14 | | | | increasing accuracy of diagnosis is that Down |
| years old. | | | | syndrome, cystic fibrosis, and mental retardation |
| Economic Impact and Funding | | | | diagnosis rates have remained the same. |
| The economic impact of autism is estimated at | | | | Regardless of the reason for the increase in |
| more than $90 billion and is expected to more | | | | numbers, cases of autism in the US are on the |
| than double over the next decade. It is the | | | | rise, and funding for research appears not to |
| fastest-growing developmental disability in | | | | have kept up with this increase. CDC director Dr. |
| America. | | | | Julie Gerberding notes that ""Our estimates are |
| How does the rate of diagnosis affect funding? In | | | | becoming better and more consistent, though we |
| the late 1990s, the US National Institutes of Health | | | | can't yet tell if there is a true increase in [autism |
| (NIH) allocated just $5 million in autism research. | | | | spectrum disorders] or if the changes are the |
| Today, the NIH funding for autism, which affects | | | | result of our better studies. We do know, |
| 1 in 150, is $15 million. By comparison, leukemia, | | | | however, that these disorders are affecting too |
| which occurs in 1 in 25, 000 children, receives | | | | many children. |
| $300 million in research funds. Muscular dystrophy, | | | | |