The number of children diagnosed with autism in the United States continues to rise, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The latest data shows that 1 in 31 children born in 2014 have been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This is an increase from the previous estimate of 1 in 36.
The findings come from the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, which tracks autism rates across several U.S. states.
The latest survey, published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, focused on 8-year-old children and was conducted across 16 sites nationwide.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. called the new data alarming. “One in 31 American children born in 2014 have autism. That’s nearly five times the rate from when tracking began in 1992,” he said.
He also highlighted that autism affects boys more often than girls, with 1 in 20 boys now diagnosed. In California, the rate is even higher—about 1 in 12.
Secretary Kennedy said the federal government is launching new research efforts to understand the causes of autism and other chronic conditions in children. “We are bringing together top scientists and expect to start getting answers by September,” he said.
The 2022 report also showed that the increase in autism cases is not just due to better awareness or changes in how autism is diagnosed. In fact, the number of children with higher IQs (above 85) who are diagnosed with autism has dropped. Only 36.1% of children in the latest survey fell into that category. Most children had either severe or borderline intellectual disabilities.
The report also found that autism affects children of color more often and more severely than White children. In the survey of 8-year-olds, autism was diagnosed in 3.66% of Black children, 3.82% of Asian children, and 3.30% of Hispanic children—compared to 2.77% of White children. A larger portion of minority children also had more serious forms of autism.
For example, nearly 79% of Black children with autism had severe or borderline intellectual disabilities, compared to about 56% of White children.
Experts say these numbers point to a growing public health crisis. The report highlights not just the rising number of autism cases, but also the increasing severity of those cases and the clear racial and ethnic gaps in diagnosis and care.
The situation is especially troubling among younger children. Among 4-year-olds born in 2018, the autism rate is already 1 in 34—and those numbers are expected to increase as more children are diagnosed over time. The racial disparities are also wider in this age group. For example, autism was diagnosed in 3.5% of Black 4-year-olds, 3.11% of Asians, and 3.82% of Hispanics, compared to just 2.04% of White children.
“The autism crisis is growing at a rate we’ve never seen before,” said Secretary Kennedy. “This issue is affecting millions of families. We need answers, and we need them now. It’s unacceptable that we still don’t know what’s causing this.”
The CDC report calls for more up-to-date data, better support for families, and a stronger national response to address the rising rates of autism and the health disparities connected to it.
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