When New Jersey reported one of the nations highest rates of autism last year doubling in six years to one in 49 children researchers described it as beyond an emergency.
But a federal study released this week indicated that the high rate appears to be the norm nationally. Autism spectrum disorder now affects one in every 50 children, well above the one in 88 previously reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The good news is that the increase in autism isnt special to New Jersey, said Walter Zahorodny, an autism researcher at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. The bad news is that its a significant increase and its registering everywhere.
The findings released this week by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration and the CDC are spurring debate: While experts attribute the increase to better reporting, it also suggests that the disorder is being diagnosed more frequently in children with milder symptoms.
According to the study, 1 million children nationally are diagnosed with autism, a complex disorder that affects brain development and a persons ability to communicate, learn and form relationships.
The feeling all along wasnt that New Jersey has more cases of autism New Jersey was just more rigorous in ascertaining the incidence, said Dr. Joseph Holahan, medical director of the child development center at St. Josephs Childrens Hospital in Paterson. Its still one of the most common serious developmental disorders we see.
The varying counts can be attributed to many factors whether information is obtained from a telephone survey or a more rigorous accounting that relies on education and medical records. Some surveys counted children as old as teenagers with milder symptoms that may have been missed in their younger years. Other federal research only counts the number of 8-year-olds diagnosed the age by which most children are seeking specialized care.
However the rates are determined, advocates say there are still too many children left undiagnosed and too few federal dollars channeled into research and specialized treatment and education.
We still think one in 50 is an underestimate, said Michael Rosanoff, associate director for public health research and scientific review for the advocacy group Autism Speaks.
The real issue is we need to meet the demands of this public health crisis, said Rosanoff said. This should be a wake-up call.