1 in 88 - The reality of the numbers #AUTISM #ASD

I guess that one of the best starting places for learning about anything is with the raw data ... but with Autism and ASD that might be harder than it looks... because ASD is an almost constantly shifting paradigm but here are a few numbers that I can throw at you:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its estimate of autism prevalence in the United States to 1 in 88 children (1 in 54 boys and 1 in 252 girls). By comparison, this is more children than are affected by diabetes, AIDS, cancer, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy or Down syndrome – combined.

Source: http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/prevalence/media-coverage

By comparison, here are some numbers over time:

• Five cases per 10,000 in 1960’s and 1970’s• Ten cases per 10,000 in 1980’s• Variable reports for the 1990’s indicate between5-72 cases per 10,000• Reports in the early 2000's indicated between 10-20 cases per 10,000• It then increased to two to six cases per 1,000 or between 1 in 500 to 1 in 166.• Recently in 2009 the U.S. Centers for Disease Control revised the autism prevalence rate to a staggering one in 110 children.

Source: http://www.child-behavior-guide.com/autism-statistics.html

 For me, the fact that ASD is becoming more prevalent cannot just be put down to better understanding - there is some underlying issue that has fundamentally changed our society and lead to an increasing number of children having symptoms of ASD and related disorders.

But in reality, for those of us who are touched by someone who has ASD, the only number is ONE -
our one individual loved one who is an amazing person who is completely different from the other ONES who they share a common spectrum...

Over the course of the rest of the month, I have lined up a variety of guests, sponsors and reviews that may help all of us gain insights into ASD or how we live in a world where having Autism or knowing someone with Autism is now the norm... I hope that you see both the big picture and the individual in this endeavor.

I've opened up the forum to a wide variety of people to help stimulate discussion and learning.  I am even opening up the forum to those that I may or may not agree with - I want you to form your own opinions and use your own judgement to see the possibilities and issues.  I look forward to your feedback and I encourage you to ask questions and leave comments about what you think!

If you have a specific issue, question or concern you'd like to see addressed, please email me or ask the question in the comments section and I'll try to get you the answer!