April 20, 2023 -- More children are being diagnosed with milder autism than with the more serious “profound” levels, according to a new study from the Associated Press.
Researchers examined the medical and school records of 20,000 8-year-olds on the autism spectrum between 2000 and 2016. They found that profound cases are still rising, just at a slower level than those with milder symptoms.
They reported that profound cases grew from about 3 cases per 1,000 kids to 5 cases in 2016. The rate of kids with milder forms grew from 4 children per 1,000 to 14 in 2016.
The study estimates that the number of elementary school-age children in the United States that have profound autism is 110,000. That number is one-fourth of the children who have been diagnosed with an autism disorder by the age of 8.
“It’s very important to know how many people have profound autism so that we can properly prepare for their needs,” including more health and education services, Alison Singer, executive director of the Autism Science Foundation, told the Associated Press.
She was a co-author of the paper and has a 25-year-old daughter with profound autism, which covers people with an IQ of 50 or less and no ability to communicate through speaking.
The study was published by the journal Public Health Reports. Scientists at the CDC led the research.
Autism has traditionally meant severe language difficulties, social impairments, and unusual repetitious behaviors. It now also is “shorthand” for a group of milder, related conditions, the AP wrote.
