Sunday, November 11, 2007

Clinic Notes: Is There An Autism Epidemic?

According to a recent Associated Press article by Mike Stobbe, The 'Autism Epidemic' Largely Fueled By Special Ed Funding, Shift In Diagnosing (www.signonsandiego.com/news/health/20071102-1304-autismepidemic.html).
It is true that as the number of cases of children diagnosed with autism increases the number of children diagnosed with mental retardation and learning disabilities are decreasing. And in my practice I see this everyday. But I also see many, many more kids that have autism and there is no question about the diagnosis. The number of children with autism is increasing at an exponential rate in my little corner of the world.