Prevalence of Autism
A new case of autism is diagnosed every 20 minutes.
Autism is on the rise, affecting an estimated 1 in 150 births (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007), with as many as 1.5 million Americans living with a diagnosis of autism. It is now the fastest growing developmental disability in the United States. Based on statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and other governmental agencies, autism is growing at a rate of 10-17 percent per year, with an annual estimated cost of around 90 billion dollars per year. This cost is expected to double in the next decade.
The overall incidence of autism is about 4 times more prevalent in boys than in girls. Autism affects individuals of all racial, ethnic, and socio-economic boundaries.
As of 2003, Missouri had 2,863 children diagnosed with autism, with an average annual growth rate of 19%, and a 693% cumulative growth rate from 1992 to 2003. Autism is no longer a rare disability.
