Why is the degree of cases of children with autism growing?
Reuters
The United States government announced new data this week on autism, which indicates that the degree of autism with autism children raised record growth in 2022.
Autism is a neurological and developmental disorder, characterized by interruption in brain signaling, which cause behavior, communication, interaction and learning of unusual ways.
The number of children diagnosed with autism in the US has increased significantly since 2000. This has increased public concern about what is causing its spread.
How is autism diagnosed?
There are no objective tools for diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as autism is known by medical name, such as blood tests or brain scans in the decline. Instead, diagnoses are made based on observations and interviews.
The term « spectrum » reflects the wide range of possible manifestations. Some people with ASD may have good conversation skills, while others may be non -communicative. Some may be very sensitive to voices, touch or other stimuli. Others may have limited or repetitive behaviors or interests. Some may need help in everyday life, while others very little or at all.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises all children to be searched for autism in the 18th and 24th months, when most of them begin to exhibit symptoms. However, the average age of diagnosis remains close to 4 years in the US and 5 years globally.
How common is autism?
In 2022, the rate of autism diagnostics in 8-year-olds in the US was 1 to 31, or 3.2 percent, from 2.77 percent in 2020, 2.27 percent in 2018 and 0.66 percent in 2000, according to US Control and Prevention of Diseases (CDC).
A study in England in 2021 found that the degree of autism in children there rose to 1.76 percent, from 1.57 percent in 2009.
The World Health Organization estimates that the global spread in children is 1 percent, from 0.62 percent in 2012, noting that many countries have no resources to identify and report cases.
What causes autism?
The causes of autism are not clear.
Scientists think that neurological characteristics can develop during pregnancy, when the fetus brain is shaped. Studies associate autism with factors during pregnancy, and some research suggests a link to complications at birth and birth time.
Genetic factors account for about 80 percent of the risk of developing autism, according to studies.
An increased area of research is epigenetics – the interaction between genetic and environmental factors. One theory suggests that a woman’s exposure to air pollution or harmful substances before or during pregnancy can cause a genetic mutation leading to autism to the baby.
Genetic variations in some people with autism strengthen the evidence for a genetic component. Some genetic disorders associated with higher risk for autism include fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis complex, phelan-mcdermid syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome.
Other potential factors include very low birth weight, jaundice in newborns, complications during pregnancy or birth, problems with bacterial intestinal flora, immune system disorders, having a brother or sister with autism, and parental factors such as age, obesity and diabetes.
US Secretary of Health, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. And other public figures have promoted a theory – contrary to scientific evidence – that childhood vaccines cause autism.
The idea comes from a previously overthrown study by British researcher Andrew Wakefield in the late 1990s that linked an increase in cases with autism with the high use of measles vaccine.
No serious study has found links between autism and their vaccines or ingredients such as timerosal or formaldehyde. The vaccination rate has dropped while cases with autism have increased.
Why are cases increasing with autism?
Researchers attribute mainly to increased cases with autism greater scanning and incorporating a wider range of behaviors in defining the disorder. Historically, the definition of autism included only moderate, up to severe intellectual disabilities. Today, doctors know that the most severe forms make up only about 25 percent of cases.
In 2013, mental health experts combined three separate diagnoses – autistic disorder, asperger disorder and comprehensive developmental disorder – under the umbrella of autism spectrum disorder.
An October 2024 study on US health insurance data found the largest increases in group diagnoses that previously had low discovery rates, including young people, women and children from some racial or ethnic groups.
Researchers have also noted that some risk factors have become more common, such as premature birth or birth from elderly parents.
Diagnoses of more severe forms of disorder, known as deep autism, have not increased significantly as the milder forms of autism, the CDC reported.
Kennedy has stated, without scientific evidence, that environmental factors are responsible for the high increase in autism cases and that he plans to finance research to identify them.
Is there a treatment?
There is no treatment or service for autism. However, experts agree that early diagnosis is essential. Supporting interventions – ideally before the age of three – are crucial to improving cognitive, social and communication skills.
These measures may include speech therapy, professional therapy, training to be accompanied, sensory integration therapy, visual aid, structured routines, individual educational plans, family therapy and providing a quiet and predictable environment.
Prepared by: Ekrem Idrizi
