According to a new Rutgers study, documented cases of autism spectrum condition in the New York– New Jersey metro area increased by as much as 500% between 2000 and 2016 among kids without any intellectual disabilities.
Contrary to previous findings, the increase in occurrence disproportionately impacted children without co-existing intellectual impairments.
Recorded cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the New York– New Jersey metro region increased by as much as 500 percent in between 2000 and 2016, with the greatest boost amongst children without intellectual impairments, according to a Rutgers University study.
This is the opposite of past findings, which have actually recommended that autism normally co-occurs with intellectual disability.
” One of the assumptions about ASD is that it happens alongside intellectual impairments,” stated Josephine Shenouda, an adjunct professor at the Rutgers School of Public Health and lead author of the research study released today (January 26) in the journal Pediatrics. “This claim was supported by older research studies recommending that approximately 75 percent of children with autism likewise have intellectual special needs.”
” What our paper shows is that this assumption is not real,” Shenouda stated. “In fact, in this research study, two-in-three children with autism had no intellectual special needs whatsoever.”
Using biannual information from the New Jersey Autism Study, scientists identified 4,661 8-year-olds with ASD in four New Jersey counties (Essex, Hudson, Ocean, and Union) during the research study duration. Of these, 1,505 (32.3 percent) had an intellectual impairment; 2,764 (59.3 percent) did not.
Subsequent analysis discovered that rates of ASD co-occurring with intellectual special needs increased two-fold between 2000 and 2016– from 2.9 per 1,000 to 7.3 per 1,000. Rates of ASD without any intellectual disability leapt five-fold, from 3.8 per 1,000 to 18.9 per 1,000.
Shenouda stated there might be descriptions for the observed increases, though more research study is needed to define the exact causes.
” Better awareness of and testing for ASD does play a function,” said Walter Zahorodny, associate professor at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and senior author on the study. “But the reality that we saw a 500 percent boost in autism among kids without any intellectual disabilities– children we understand are failing the fractures– recommends that something else is likewise driving the rise.”
ASD prevalence has been revealed to be associated with race and socioeconomic status. The Rutgers study recognized that Black children with ASD and no intellectual impairments were 30 percent less likely to be recognized compared to White kids, while kids residing in upscale locations were 80 percent most likely to be identified with ASD and no intellectual specials needs compared to children in underserved areas.
Using New Jersey Autism Study data and U.S. census data, the researchers had the ability to estimate rates of ASD undercounting in the four counties.
Shenouda stated that resolving the findings could help close identification spaces and ultimately bring much-needed ASD services to lower-income areas.
” With up to 72 percent of the ASD population having borderline or typical intellectual capability, focus should be put on early screening, early recognition, and early intervention,” she stated. “Because gains in intellectual operating are proportional with intense intervention at more youthful ages, its important that universal screening is in location, especially in underserved neighborhoods.”
Recommendation:” Prevalence and Disparities in the Detection of Autism Without Intellectual Disability” by Josephine Shenouda, DrPH, MS; Emily Barrett, PhD; Amy L. Davidow, PhD; Kate Sidwell, BACHELORS DEGREE; Cara Lescott, BA; William Halperin, MD, DrPH, MPH; Vincent M. B. Silenzio, MD, MPH and Walter Zahorodny, PhD, 26 January 2023, Pediatrics.DOI: 10.1542/ peds.2022-056594.