Just How Many Children Have Autism?

There's a study new that was released a few weeks ago that says many more school age children have some form of autism than previously thought. This is based on a phone survey conducted by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). The CDC's NSCH (National Survey of Children's Health) did a phone study in which they called many thousands of homes and questioned those that had a child on the spectrum. This is the result of the phone study: as many a 1 in 50 school age children are somewhere on the Autism Spectrum. Below is the link to the report from this study (which is the clinical report and very in depth for those who wish to see it)...

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr065.pdf

I heard about this new statistic from our local news, and have been searching for information on it since (about a week and a half now). Unlike the study done in 2008 that revealed 1 in 88 children are diagnosed with autism, this study was based wholly on parental data obtained during a phone survey. The 2008 study was based on information taken from parents, doctors and school records. I don't know where the numbers will go from here, but I do know that the number of those being diagnosed in the US is steadily increasing, as I imagine it is in other countries as well. I still can't believe the number of people out there that have absolutely no clue what ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) is. The hardest part for most families, regardless of what country they are in is... to get a proper diagnosis for our kiddos.

In the USA the psychologists use the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) to diagnose ASD. I've read that some other countries may use it as a reference, however, I'm not sure if it's used to actually diagnose autism. The DSM gives specific criteria for diagnosing ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). The last major revision came around 1994 in the fourth edition. Now a new edition, the DSM-V will be released in just a few months, and some of the criteria will change again.

So, the question becomes, how many children have autism? I believe here are many, many kiddos out there that have yet to be properly diagnosed with ASD. There are some basic signs that should alert a parent (or caregiver) that there is a need to have a child checked by a doctor (who would generally diagnose for autism or other neurological disorders). Here are some criteria that we have found applies to many kiddos on the spectrum (any combination should cause concern enough to check with your pediatrician):

little or no eye contact     -     lack of speech (not talking)     -     walking on toes     -     repeating words, sounds or phrases out of context     -     not responding to their name
lining up toys, over and over     -     flapping fingers, hands or arms     -     spinning around without seeming to get dizzy     -     has what appears to be a tantrum for absolutely no reason
needs excessive hug (pressure) to calm down     -     needs routine to be the same     -     unstable sleep pattern     -     overly focused on item(s), studies intently
sensitive to certain textures     -     looking at things from an acute angle (not straight on)     -     appear to be in their "own" world     -     having skills, and losing them

The bottom line is that we must be constantly watching our kiddos to make sure they are meeting their milestones. Celebrating when they do, and LOUDLY asking questions if they are not. Pushing for answers if we are not being taken seriously. Our kiddos only have one shot at childhood, and one shot for early intervention should it be needed. The longer we wait to intervene, the further our little ones can slip away.

From a mother's heart - every day that goes by is another chance to intervene with your kiddos - let's not let it slip through our hands.