The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

By now you have already heard the news, new statistics reported by the Center for Disease Control report that 1 in 68 children were identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (click here for full report), but did you know that this estimate is based on 8-year-old children living in 11 communities and does not represent the entire population of children in the United States!  These number identify trends, not everyday realities in every community!  The numbers range from from 1 in 175 children in areas of Alabama to 1 in 45 children in areas of New Jersey. Not good news, but also not indicative of every community.  More good news, about 80% of children identified with ASD either received special education services or had an ASD diagnosis from a clinician. Also, new data can be used to promote early identification, training, research, and inform policy so that children with ASD and their families get the help they need.  Click here for information from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association on identifying early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder.