FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - It was once reported that one out of 110 children had Autism, but new numbers released last week by the Centers for Disease Control shows it's now one out of 88. That's a 78 percent increase in the last six years.
Experts say the increase could be from parents educating themselves on recognizing the signs of Autism and taking their children to the doctor more often if they see any of those signs. They also believe doctors are learning more about what to look for when making a diagnosis.
Here are some signs of a child with Autism:
- Not responding to their name
- Avoiding eye contact
- Excessive rocking
- Obsessed with one thing
Two parents, Valerie Potchka and Jennifer Kennedy, both live in Fort Wayne and have a child with Autism. They both met in a waiting room of a therapy office.
Potchka has a son with Autism and works at Easter Seals Arc of Northeast Indiana, an organization working with children who have special needs. She said if your child shows any signs of Autism, it's important to get them screened.
"Typically individuals that are diagnosed with Autism are not hitting developmental milestones. Some physical, some cognitive, some fine motor," she explained, "And they should take those results that they do screen such as that, to their pediatrician or to their family physician."
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April is Autism Awareness Month