One out of 31 children (over 3% of children) has been identified with autism, according to the latest results published by the Center for Centers for Tracking Trends in Autism Prevalence in Some U.S. communities.
“They’ve risen dramatically in two years again. We’re in some states, one out of 20 boys with autism and one out of 31 children. And in my generation, in my generation today, the percentage of autism was one in 10,000.” Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He said in Indiana on Tuesday and released his new findings. “And this is one disease. Children of this generation are damaged by chronic illnesses.”
Kennedy often cites CDC figures from this study as evidence of his claim that the US is currently growing. “Infectious disease” of autismwhich experts and advocacy groups criticize it for being condemned and misleading.
“As the report shows, more children have access to autism assessments and more children have been identified as autism. This is encouraging, as children can be adjusted to help with appropriate support and services once they are identified early.
For years, CDC scientists have said that data showing an increase in diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may reflect improved screening and access to autism services in some communities. However, agency experts were not available for press conferences on the latest findings, marking changes from past years.
“Studies have not demonstrated that children are at a higher risk of developing ASD due to living in certain communities,” the CDC authors state in their report.
The authors of the study stated that the prevalence of autism is consistently higher among Asian, black and Hispanic children compared to white children. Factors such as preterm birth and disparities in lead poisoning could contribute to this gap, the report said.
Data from 16 community sites were collected for new CDC reports. The final report found the proportion of one in 36 children through 2020, based on data from 11 communities.
Although network data is not nationally representative, figures from other federally funded research and research have tracked an increase in the prevalence of autism over the past 20 years, accelerating in the early 2000s.
“Children with autism add value to our community. Advocating resources and funding to support lifelong autistic people is essential for a productive and healthy America,” Saul said in a statement.
That’s because federal spending on autism research is also rising rapidly, and we are making great efforts to study biology that is suspected to underlie those conditions. Scientists have linked up to 90% of autism to genetic traits, but other factors are suspected to play a role in changing risk.
Kennedy believes that “environmental toxins” are causing autism, pointing to potential perpetrators, ranging from food contaminants to vaccines.
Many studies have uncovered claims that vaccines cause autism. However, there are few studies on several other factors that suggest that research may be related to autism, from pesticides to time during pregnancy.
“The number of studies examining the epidemiology of autism is on the rise, but most potential environmental factors have not been thoroughly investigated to draw solid conclusions,” the federal agency for Autism Research Coordination said in 2023.
In a statement Tuesday, Kennedy argued that autism is preventable and said “it is unacceptable that we have not yet identified the underlying cause.”
“We’re bringing together a team of world-class scientists to focus our research on the origins of the fashion, and we hope to get the answers by September,” he said. Major autistic tissues have He expressed skepticism About his promise and concern to revive theories he has exposed.
Additionally, the CDC has issued a statement and notes that prevalence varies significantly between different sites in the study. “We are committed to providing a wide range of services,” said Dr. Karyl Rattay, head of human development and disability divisions at CDC.
CDC delayed reporting and banned media agency experts
The CDC’s National Centre on Birth and Developmental Disorders had planned to release a report this March, several officials told CBS News. That publication was pushed back by CDC officials amid a division-wide suspension on communications ordered by the Trump administration.
Plans to make agency experts available to explain and interpret the results have also been scrapped, several CDC officials who spoke anonymously said. Advances the last release of the agency Autism numbers In 2023, CDC scientists appeared in a press conference on the report and an interview with media outlets.
That year, news outlets were provided with embargo copies of the report in advance to give journalists time to prepare reports and interview experts. He said the long-standing practice has been abandoned across agencies under the Trump administration, both because of autism reports and many other studies published by the agency.
The CDC and HHS did not respond to requests for embargo reports.
Kennedy said that most of the communications staff working with the Center have also been fired this month as part of Kennedy’s radical restructuring.
The branch responsible for producing people with autism is There are very few remaining teams About the CDC’s birth defects and disability center work.
Authorities hope it will be disconnected from the CDC and integrated into Kennedy’s new administration for healthy American institutions.
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