The Autism "Epidemic"

With current diagnostic rates in the United States sitting at 1 in 150 children (1 in 94 boys), parents and professionals are asking themselves if there is an autism epidemic. Having two children on the autism spectrum myself, I have spent countless hours researching this exact question. Some would argue that environmental triggers, most notably the increase in childhood vaccinations, have led to an increase in autism. Others state that there is no true epidemic but that the expansion of the diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual of Mental Disorders version IV (DSM-IV) for autism and related conditions, along with the inclusion of Asperger's Syndrome in 1994, have led to the dramatic rise. While there is sufficient data to make an adequate conclusion, the conclusion held by scientists and doctors is not usually the most popular conclusion among parents which is causing a rift in the autism community. Many parents do think that there is an epidemic, even though study after study has proven that there is not an actual epidemic but that many other reasons sufficiently explain the increased prevalence of this developmental disorder.

"Autism is a highly variable syndrome that resists easy definition" (Grinker 10). Let's go ahead and define autism for the sake of this essay; "autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills" (Autism Society of America). This essay will focus on all autism spectrum disorders (ASDs); diagnoses included under the umbrella of ASDs are autistic disorder, Rett's Disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, Asperger's Syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS).