Particle.news
Download on the App Store
21 ARTICLES
·
last mo.

CDC Reports Autism Diagnoses Reach 1 in 31 U.S. Children, Highest Rate on Record

New data highlights improved diagnostic practices and persistent disparities, while experts push back against claims of an autism 'epidemic.'

Image
Image
In 2022, about 1 in every 31 children was diagnosed with autism by age 8, according to the CDC.

Overview

  • The CDC's latest data shows autism prevalence among 8-year-olds rose to 1 in 31 in 2022, up from 1 in 36 in 2020 and 1 in 150 in 2000.
  • Experts attribute the rise to improved awareness, broader diagnostic criteria, and better access to screening rather than an actual increase in cases.
  • The report reveals significant disparities, with boys over three times more likely to be diagnosed than girls, and higher rates among Asian, Black, and Hispanic children compared to white children.
  • Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has controversially described the increase as an 'epidemic' and announced a large-scale research initiative to identify causes, a characterization disputed by advocacy groups and researchers.
  • The CDC emphasizes that the data, while robust, is not fully nationally representative, as it is drawn from 16 monitoring sites across 14 states and Puerto Rico.