CDC: Autism, ADHD Rates On The Rise

The proportion of children and teens in the U.S. who have been diagnosed with a developmental disability such as autism has increased 17 percent since the late 1990s, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Between 1997 and 2008, the number of children diagnosed with a disability rose from 8.2 million to roughly 10 million, or more than 15 percent of all kids between the ages of 3 and 17, the researchers found.

This upward trend has been driven largely by surges in the number of children diagnosed with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), although the prevalence of stuttering and learning disabilities has also increased.

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The study, which appears in the June issue of the journal Pediatrics, is the first time nationally representative data on developmental disabilities has been collected since 1988, says Sheree Boulet, Dr.P.H., one of the study's authors and an epidemiologist at the CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.

The reasons for the increases aren't clear, but growing awareness and increasing acceptance of developmental disabilities have probably played a big role, Boulet says. For instance, she explains, the availability of early and effective treatments for conditions such as ADHD might be encouraging more parents to have their children screened for the disorder.

The study findings are to be expected, given the "increased awareness and much better reporting,” says Alan Hilfer, Ph.D., the director of psychology at Maimonides Medical Center, in New York City. (Hilfer was not involved in the new research.)

At the same time, the occurrence of disabilities may be genuinely increasing. A shift toward having babies later in life, more premature births, and growing use of fertility treatments—all of which are risk factors for developmental disabilities—could be contributing to the higher rates, the researchers say.

The findings "suggest that there are some more prevention strategies that could be put into use," Boulet says.

The study was based on nationally representative health surveys that included in-person interviews with nearly 120,000 children across the country. During the interviews, the researchers asked parents whether their kids had been diagnosed with autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, seizures, stuttering or stammering, hearing loss, blindness, or intellectual disability (formerly known as mental retardation).

The overall disability rate rose from about 13 percent to just over 15 percent during the 12-year study period. In 2008, the most common disabilities were ADHD (7.6 percent) and learning disabilities (7.2 percent). Roughly 0.75 percent of children had been diagnosed with autism, up from 0.19 percent in 1997.

The only disability to decrease was moderate-to-profound hearing loss, which went down 31 percent.

The differences in diagnosis rates across economic, ethnic, and gender lines were striking, Boulet says.

Nearly twice as many boys as girls had a disability, for instance. This might be because some genetic disabilities are more likely to be inherited by males, although it could also be that the symptoms of ADHD and other disabilities are more obvious in boys, and are therefore more likely to be diagnosed, the study notes.

Rates were also substantially higher than average among children from low-income families and children on Medicaid. Hispanic children had lower rates of disabilities than white or black children, which perhaps reflects language difficulties and other barriers to accessing health services rather than the true rate of disability.

The rise in disabilities seen in the study points to the growing need for specialized health and social services (such as mental-health services and therapists), Boulet and her colleagues say. However, due to budget pressures throughout the health-care system, children are at risk of missing out on exactly that kind of specialized treatment and prevention, Hilfer says.

"We are more aware that early intervention is the key to the greatest success in these kids," he says, "[but] we need the resources to do that."

Comments

[sybrand]

11:04 AM on 06/07/2011

Closely Spaced Pregnancies Are Associated With Increased Odds of Autism in California Sibling Births
A second child is three times more likely to be diagnosed with autism if they are born within twelve months of their siblings, compared to those born three or more years apart, researchers from the Lazarsfeld Center for the Social Sciences at Columbia University, New York revealed in the journal Pediatrics.

If Google is God He gave me this link:
Maybe the missing Link...

High-copper mothers
Copper normally increases with pregnancy so if pregnancies are close, the next child can be more affected. High copper lowers or blocks other minerals (as zinc and iron).

Copper can pass to babies during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and care should be taken to avoid taking doses higher than the recommended level.
(In the USA there are some 69 prenatal vitamins products for sale, all containing copper, in most cases 2 mg.)
A wellknown source of copper is the birth control pill; when a women stops with the pill and becomes pregnant soon after it, the copper level may be too high (and the iron too low). Recent American research revealed that an iron deficiency prior to the conception could be dangerous for the fetus and even after birth the development of the brain may be impaired...Surprisingly the mother doesn't have to show the signs of anemia.

So it could also be Iron.

[sybrand]

11:07 AM on 06/07/2011

Because when you are high on copper, you are low on zinc and iron...and when there is ID, an Iron Deficiency in the fetus, there will be neural problems, that's wellknown.

Children with ASDs have high serum copper and low plasma zinc:
The plasma zinc/serum copper ratio as a biomarker in children with autism spectrum disorders.
Faber S, Zinn GM, Kern JC 2nd, Kingston HM.

Abstract
The frequency of zinc deficiency, copper toxicity and low zinc/copper in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) may indicate decrement in metallothionein system functioning.

(Father reacting) 'I find this study interesting because my twins both show abnormally low levels of zinc and abnormally high levels of copper.

The proportion of children and teens in the U.S. who have been diagnosed with a developmental disability such as autism has increased 17 percent since the late 1990s, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The reasons for the increases aren't clear, but growing awareness and increasing acceptance of developmental disabilities have probably played a big role, Boulet epidemiologist at the CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, says.
I think the heavy metals in the environment play a big role: copper, aluminum, barium and manganese. That could also be the explanation why boys are more affected than girls:

Boys need a lot of zinc, girls need copper%u2026

[maguro 01]

06:16 PM on 05/27/2011

"Rates were also substantially higher than average among children from low-income families and children on Medicaid. Hispanic children had lower rates of disabilities than white or black children, which perhaps reflects language difficulties and other barriers to accessing health services rather than the true rate of disability."

Not necessarily. It's interesting that Hispanic women have a slightly lower infant death rate than White women. lower income or not. It's possible that social restrictions on women that prevent smoking and other such behavior are making the difference. That might be a clue that it's not so much income level but behavior that makes the difference. It appears that consumption of everything from hard liquor and cigarettes to junk food is higher the lower the income.

Very important and growing are Diabetes 2 and cancer. Diabetes 2 will be a huge expense yet it's almost completely preventable. At least a third of cancer is too. But giving us Diabetes II, Cancer, and treating us for them all effectively have strong lobbies in Washington.. It's not a conspiracy - not at all. It's just the way the Washington Pay-To-Play system works. Perhaps it would not be surprising that an artificially high cancer rate could mean an artificially high birth defect and developmental defect rate too. We read though, that the US military has to reject an increasing proportion of recruits on obesity and other health grounds. Let's see if that will make for change...

[John Richard Smith]

02:52 AM on 05/25/2011

One thing missing from the simple number crunching is the quality and severity of the various disorders represented in the above article .

I am of the opinion that it is this that should be investigated in tandem.

Anecdotal evidence from health professionals and those in allied fields suggest that many children are facing much larger challenges and this in turn is representing a greater challenge to both the health system and the education system....

The flow on effect when these children face adulthood represent further challenges for those engaged in mental health issues such as depression.

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One positive note though is that this 'epidemic' has opened many eyes to the nature of "disability" and to a broader acceptance that each of our lives are as valuable as our neighbours.

Hopefully this can be energised in to a new community spirit where we strive to be inclusive of all people .... particularly in health and education outcomes.

It is what each and every member of our communities deserve particularly our children.

Who could disagree with that ?

[organicconnect]

02:33 PM on 05/24/2011

This report is not surprising given the continuing quantities of persistent toxic pollution pumped into our environment and food supply. The Environmental Working Group has a very compelling video about this: http://organicconnectmag.com/wp/2010/08/body-toxins-and-our-children/

[purenergy]

08:57 AM on 05/25/2011

Funny that none of these type articles never mention environmental/food toxins as a possible cause...are CDC scientists really that clueless?

[nowGo4ward]

02:32 PM on 05/25/2011

Significant doses of neurotoxic substances are delivered via most "disease preventing" vaccines.

[Josephius]

11:51 PM on 05/23/2011

Let's read this again, shall we....

"The study findings are to be expected, given the "increased awareness and much better reporting,” says Alan Hilfer, Ph.D., the director of psychology at Maimonides Medical Center, in New York City. (Hilfer was not involved in the new research.)

At the same time, the occurrence of disabilities may be genuinely increasing. A shift toward having babies later in life, more premature births, and growing use of fertility treatments—all of which are risk factors for developmental disabilities—could be contributing to the higher rates, the researchers say."

[Jennifer State]

05:00 PM on 05/23/2011

More and more research is indicating that the brain can be changed, even in those with autism and ADHD. I've been reading what Brain Balance - http://bra­inbalancec­enters.com - has to say about changing the brain. They contend certain exercises (computer based, sensory, motor), activities, diet, and behavioral modifications tailored to the individual can help rewire missed connections in the brain, leading to a reduction of symptoms for those with ADHD and even autism. If autism and ADHD are brain disorders, then why not start there? It's worth a read.

[William J Unverferth Sr]

06:33 AM on 05/24/2011

If it's in the brain you can't blame anyone and get a multi-million dollar settlement so it must be someone's fault.