New Data on Autism: Five Facts to Know

"Many children are living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and they need services and support, now and as they grow into adolescence and adulthood. More can be done to ensure that children with ASD are evaluated as soon as possible after developmental concerns are recognized. Read on to learn more about CDC’s new data on ASD.

Findings from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network help us understand more about the number of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the features of those children, and the age at which these children are first evaluated and diagnosed. These findings are critical for

• Promoting early identification of children with ASD;
• Planning services for children and families living with ASD and trainings for the professionals who provide those services;
• Guiding future ASD research; and
• Informing policies that promote improved outcomes in health care and education for individuals with ASD.

The highlights below come from the most recent ADDM Network report, and they are based on information collected from the health and special education (if available) records of 8-year-old children who lived in communities in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin during 2014..."
Autism