美國自閉兒比例增加 91個孩子就有一個

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National Children's Health Survey Report Finds Autism Prevalence Now 1 in 91
Monday, October 5, 2009
By: Carin Yavorcik

Autism Society Calls for Answers to Crisis Now

A
national report released today in the journal Pediatrics reveals that 1
percent of U.S. children ages 3-17 have an autism spectrum disorder, an
estimated prevalence of one in every 91 children. This is a dramatic
increase from the one in 150 prevalence rates currently reported.

“This
national study charts a dramatic rise in the prevalence of autism in
the United States and we applaud this administration’s recognition that
autism is an urgent public health priority,” said Autism Society
President and CEO Lee Grossman. “But families today are asking: how
high must these prevalence rates rise before the nation responds?
Significant resources must be directed toward screening and diagnosis,
affordable interventions that treat the whole person and comprehensive
education plans to foster lifelong skill development so that people
with autism will have the ability to work and live independently.”

The
report, entitled “Prevalence of Parent-Reported Diagnosis of Autism
Spectrum Disorder Among Children in the US,” published in today’s issue
of Pediatrics, was conducted by the Department of Health and Human
Services National Survey of Children’s Health, using data from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report was conducted
via a telephone survey of over 78,000 parents, and determined a point
prevalence of 110 per 10,000 respondents, roughly 1 percent of the
population of children in the United States.

On a constituent
call to discuss the report, the CDC reported that its initial analysis
of the Autism and Developmental Delay Monitoring project data, due out
later this fall, confirm the 1 percent figure. This report will also
contain more data on age of diagnosis, groups affected, and access to
interventions.

The increasing numbers have long-term economic
costs to the country, as autism is a chronic medical condition
affecting people across the lifespan. “Lifespan services, particularly
for adults, are typically inadequate and inappropriate,” Grossman
stated. “This new data should be a call to action to the government to
improve and increase services and supports first.”