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Health See other Health Articles Title: 1 in 110 children have autism, CDC reports Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.) WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Nearly 1 percent of the nation's 8-year-olds have an autism disorder, federal health leaders announced Friday. This sobering statistic, which represents an increase over previous estimates, underscores the need to consider autism "an urgent public health concern," concludes the study by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The increase is partially a result of greater awareness and improved diagnosis, said Catherine Rice, a behavioral health scientist with the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. But other factors may contribute as well. "At this point, it's impossible to say how much is a true increase and how much is (better) identification," she said. "A true increase in risk cannot be ruled out." Autism is a severe developmental disorder with no known cause and no cure. Many experts believe that some children are genetically susceptible to the disorder, and are then pushed over the edge by one or more environmental exposures. Because there are no known biological markers for autism, clinicians diagnose children based on their behavior and development. Autistic children often have difficulty relating to others and become upset when routines are disrupted. Some have abnormal sensory processing for such things as touch and hearing. Since 2007, the CDC had estimated that 1 in 150 children have an autism spectrum disorder, which includes classic autism and higher-functioning forms such as Asperger's syndrome and PDD-NOS, or pervasive developmental disorder -- not otherwise specified. In October, a telephone-based survey put the rate of autism at closer to 1 in 100 children. The latest study confirms the higher rate, finding an average of 1 in 110 children with the disorder. Even higher rates have been discovered in areas of Japan, Sweden, Britain and Norway. "This study in particular didn't investigate causes," Rice said. "We know that there's no single cause of autism." Rice predicts researchers will uncover multiple causes for the differing forms of the disorder. The rise in diagnoses has sent scientists around the world scrambling to find answers to one of the greatest mysteries of modern medicine. Some of the largest studies are under way in Northern California, including one that is tracking newborns of women who already have one autistic child. Such women are at increased risk of having a second child with autism. These studies are closely monitoring the newborn's development and environmental exposures to everything from household cleaning and beauty products to vaccines, pesticides and electronics. Researchers are even sampling dust found in the home. Kaiser Permanente and the University of California, Davis, M.I.N.D. Institute are among the participants. In the latest CDC study, researchers analyzed records for 8-year-olds from 10 communities across the nation in 2006. These same areas participated in a similar study in 2002, and all reported an increase in prevalence by 2006. The study found that 1 in 70 boys have an autism spectrum disorder, compared with 1 in 315 girls. It also revealed that children are now being diagnosed at an earlier age. This is considered good news because experts say that many children can make significant progress with early intervention. About 41 percent of the children with autism also have an intellectual disability, the study found. (c) 2009, Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.). Visit the Contra Costa Times on the Web at www.contracostatimes.com. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
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