Today's USA Today released the initial results of the largest study of autism to date. The study was also discussed in the Los Angeles Times and other major newspapers. It was funded and conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control, a controversial player in the debates over autism and vaccines.
The key points:
* The study has found that autism spectrum disorders (defined in the study as including PDD-NOS - pervasive developmental disorder - not otherwise specified) are being diagnosed at the astonishing rate of 1 in 150 children. (The L.A. Times notes that since the study parameters were different from previous studies it is possible that this does not indicate an increase in autism.) It is, however, the largest and perhaps most persuasive study conducted to date on the prevalence of autism.
* The study continues to take the CDC's long-held position that
there is no relationship between autism and childhood vaccinations.
* Prevalence of autism diagnosis rates varied greatly among states included in the study from a low of 3.3 per 1,000 children in Alabama to a high of 10.6 per 1,000 children in New Jersey. I hope the CDC will investigate whether these wide disparities are due to vaccination rates, diagnosis abilities within the state, environmental factors, or genetic factors, among other potential contributing factors.
* Cure Autism Now and the Autism Society of America have both commented, demanding greater attention to the disorders and increased funding for research and treatment.
* The study looked at 8-year olds in 2000 and 2002.
You can access, download and read the full published results in a pdf on the CDC's website.
I invite your comments on this study to the blog. I know that my clients and readers -- those parents and professionals dedicated to helping people with autism -- are avid students. I know those of you who read the full study will find things that other blog readers would like to hear. Please share.
And please check back for comments here as we do not email comments to blog replies to you.
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