As Autism Awareness Month comes to a close, I feel the need to highlight the growing need for greater levels of public concern and awareness about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the 2 million Americans that are affected by these disorders. Autism spectrum disorder is an umbrella term used to describe a group of complex brain development disorders. These include autism, Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder (PDD).
According to a study conducted by the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, 1 out of every 88 American children has a form of autism, a ten-fold increase in prevalence over the past 40 years. However, five years later, the CDC’s 2011 National Survey of Children’s Health revealed that the rate had increased to 1 out of every 50 children.
Recent research on the causes of ASD has generated many theories. Some theories that are more widely accepted include the role that genetics, placental folds, and environmental factors have on brain development. However, despite growing research into this topic, scientists still do not fully understand what these causes are.
It is wonderful that there is an entire month dedicated to ASD. However, the same commitment and awareness should extend beyond the month of April. Autism is the fastest growing serious developmental disability in the United States and there is no medical detection or cure for it. Therefore, I feel that our country is underestimating the magnitude of this public health issue, and, if left unaddressed, could reach epidemic proportions.
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