Overview

• The CDC's latest data shows that 1 in 31 U.S. eight-year-olds were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in 2022, up from 1 in 36 in 2020.
• Experts attribute the increase to expanded diagnostic criteria, better awareness, and improved access to screening, not a true surge in autism cases.
• Significant disparities remain, with boys being 3.4 times more likely than girls to be diagnosed and minority children showing higher rates than white children.
• Regional variations in autism prevalence are notable, ranging from 1 in 103 in South Texas to 1 in 19 in areas of California, reflecting differences in local resources and screening practices.
• Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. controversially links the rise to vaccines, despite extensive scientific evidence debunking this claim, and has announced a research initiative to identify autism's causes by September.