Why Are Autism Rates Rising?
Why Are Autism Rates Rising?
With autism rates on the rise, a lot of people are wondering why autism is becoming so common. The truth is that there is no one thing causing the rise in autism. The increase in the number of autism cases is the result of several different things coming together. Some of the things behind the rise in autism include:
More conditions counted as autism
In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association put out a new edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The DSM is a guide that lists all of the behaviors that someone has to show in order to be diagnosed with a certain psychological condition. Doctors use it as a guide when they are trying to figure out if someone has a psychological disorder. In the older version, conditions like Asperger Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder–Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) were not counted as autism – they were considered to be different conditions. In the new DSM-5, those conditions were all grouped together under the autism umbrella. This change means that people who would have been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome before are now diagnosed as autistic, which adds to the overall number of autism cases.
Better autism awareness
Over the last 30 years, many organizations have worked to teach people about autism. This has helped parents, teachers, doctors, and even coaches notice the signs of autism more easily. Communities are also becoming more accepting of autistic people, which makes parents more comfortable getting their kids tested. With more people knowing what to look for and more parents seeking help, more children are being identified as autistic.
Better tools for detecting autism
In the 1990s, doctors started using a screening test for autism called the Modified-Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT). Over time, the M-CHAT has been improved and is now called the M-CHAT-R/F. The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that all children be screened for autism using the M-CHAT-R/F at their 18- and 24-month checkups, or anytime parents are worried. These improved tools and regular screenings mean doctors can now detect autism earlier and in more children, including those with milder signs.
Better access to healthcare
Access to healthcare in the United States has improved over the past 30 years. Programs like the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in 1997 and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 helped millions of families get coverage. Now, more families can have regular checkups, which gives doctors a chance to track development, answer parent concerns, and screen for autism. While some families in rural or low-income areas still face challenges, better access overall has led to more children being diagnosed with autism.
Parents having children later in life
Research shows that when parents are older, their chance of having an autistic child is a little higher. For fathers, older age can increase the number of genetic changes in sperm. For mothers, having children later may raise the risk of pregnancy complications or affect egg quality. While this isn’t the only reason autism rates are rising, it may play a part, especially alongside better awareness and healthcare access.
More premature babies surviving
Medical advances have helped more premature babies survive, even those born very early or very small. Premature birth is a known risk factor for autism because the brain is still developing and there may be more medical complications. Since more premature babies are now growing up healthy, more of them are also being diagnosed with autism. This makes it important to watch their development closely and give support early if signs of autism appear.
Article by: The Autism ToolKit
References
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https://www.macpac.gov/subtopic/changes-in-coverage-and-access/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Kominski GF, Nonzee NJ, Sorensen A. The Affordable Care Act’s Impacts on Access to Insurance and Health Care for Low-Income Populations. Annu Rev Public Health. 2017 Mar 20;38:489-505. doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031816-044555. Epub 2016 Dec 15. PMID: 27992730; PMCID: PMC5886019.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34380775/
https://marf.org.my/mchatrf/
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