Autism Spectrum Disorders (Pervasive Developmental Disorders) - Pervasive Developmental Disorders Treatment

Written by NIMH

Page 11 of 13

The STAART centers are located at the following sites:

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Yale University, Connecticut
University of Washington, Seattle
University of California, Los Angeles
Mount Sinai Medical School, New York
Kennedy Krieger Institute, Maryland
Boston University, Massachusetts
University of Rochester, New York

A data coordination center will analyze the data generated by both the STAART network and the Collaborative Programs of Excellence in Autism (CPEA). This latter program, funded by the NICHD and the NIDCD Network on the Neurobiology and Genetics of Autism, consists of 10 sites. The CPEA is at present studying the world's largest group of well-diagnosed individuals with autism characterized by genetic and developmental profiles.

The CPEA centers are located at:

Boston University, Massachusetts
University of California, Davis
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Los Angeles
Yale University, Connecticut
University of Washington, Seattle
University of Rochester, New York
University of Texas, Houston
University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
University of Utah, Salt Lake City

The NIEHS has programs at:

Center for Childhood Neurotoxicology and Assessment, University of Medicine & Dentistry, New Jersey
The Center for the Study of Environmental Factors in the Etiology of Autism, University of California, Davis

Addendum to Autism Spectrum Disorders February 2007

This addendum to the booklet Autism Spectrum Disorders was prepared to clarify information contained in the booklet; and to provide updated information on the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders.

Prevalence

In 2007 - the most recent government survey on the rate of autism - the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that the rate is higher than the rates found from studies conducted in the United States during the 1980s and early 1990s (survey based on data from 2000 and 2002). The CDC survey assigned a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder based on health and school records of 8 year olds in 14 communities throughout the U.S. Debate continues about whether this represents a true increase in the prevalence of autism. Changes in the criteria used to diagnose autism, along with increased recognition of the disorder by professionals and the public may all be contributing factors. Nonetheless, the CDC report confirms other recent epidemiologic studies documenting that more children are being diagnosed with an ASD than ever before.

Data from an earlier report of the CDC's Atlanta-based program found the rate of autism spectrum disorder was 3.4 per 1,000 for children 3 to 10 years of age. Summarizing this and several other major studies on autism prevalence, CDC estimates that 2-6 per 1,000 (from 1 in 500 to 1 in 150) children have an ASD. The risk is 3-4 times higher in males than females. Compared to the prevalence of other childhood conditions, this rate is lower than the rate of mental retardation (9.7 per 1,000 children), but higher than the rates for cerebral palsy (2.8 per 1,000 children), hearing loss (1.1 per 1,000 children), and vision impairment (0.9 per 1,000 children).1 The CDC notes that these studies do not provide a national estimate.

For additional data, please visit the autism section of the CDC Web site.