What is the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?

From the Guidelines

Autism prevalence is approximately 1 in 59 children in the United States, with 1 in 36 boys being affected, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 1. This represents a significant increase in the prevalence of autism over the past three decades, which is likely due to a combination of factors, including increased awareness, broader diagnostic criteria, and improved screening methods 1. The rise in prevalence is also attributed to diagnostic accretion/substitution, as well as other risk factors such as advanced parental age and prematurity 1.

Some key points to consider regarding autism prevalence include:

• Males are more frequently diagnosed with autism than females, with a ratio of approximately 4:1 1
• Prevalence rates vary by geographic region, socioeconomic status, and racial/ethnic groups, which may reflect disparities in access to diagnostic services 1
• Early identification is crucial, as it allows for earlier intervention, which can significantly improve outcomes for children with autism 1
• The average age of diagnosis in the United States is now around 4 years old, which is a substantial reduction from earlier estimates 1

It's essential to note that the increase in autism prevalence does not necessarily mean that more children are developing autism, but rather that we are becoming better at identifying it 1. Additionally, the substantial functional disability associated with autism results in significant individual and societal costs, with lifetime costs per individual estimated at 1.4 million dollars for ASD without intellectual disability and 2.4 million for ASD with intellectual disability 1.

From the Research

Autism Prevalence

• The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among children aged 8 years in 2022 was 32.2 per 1,000 children (one in 31) across 16 sites in the United States, ranging from 9.7 in Texas (Laredo) to 53.1 in California 2.
• ASD was 3.4 times as prevalent among boys (49.2) than girls (14.3) 2.
• The overall observed prevalence estimate was similar to estimates calculated using Bayesian hierarchical and random effects models 2.
• ASD prevalence was lower among non-Hispanic White (White) children (27.7) than among Asian or Pacific Islander (A/PI) (38.2), American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) (37.5), non-Hispanic Black or African American (Black) (36.6), Hispanic or Latino (Hispanic) (33.0), and multiracial children (31.9) 2.
• No association was observed between ASD prevalence and neighborhood median household income (MHI) at 11 sites; higher ASD prevalence was associated with lower neighborhood MHI at five sites 2.

Trends in Autism Prevalence

• The prevalence of ASD among children aged 8 years was higher in 2022 than in previous years 2.
• ASD prevalence was higher among A/PI, Black, and Hispanic children aged 8 years than White children aged 8 years, continuing a pattern first observed in 2020 2.
• A/PI, Black, and Hispanic children aged 8 years with ASD were also more likely than White or multiracial children with ASD to have a co-occurring intellectual disability 2.

Early Identification of Autism

• The median age of earliest known ASD diagnosis was 47 months and ranged from 36 months in California to 69.5 months in Texas (Laredo) 2.
• Cumulative incidence of ASD diagnosis or eligibility by age 48 months was higher among children born in 2018 (aged 4 years in 2022) than children born in 2014 (aged 8 years in 2022) at 13 of the 15 sites that were able to abstract records 2.
• Overall cumulative incidence of ASD diagnosis or eligibility by age 48 months was 1.7 times as high among those born in 2018 compared with those born in 2014 and ranged from 1.4 times as high in Arizona and Georgia to 3.1 times as high in Puerto Rico 2.