autism

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2009), an average of 1 in 110 children in the United States has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is commonly characterized by severe deficits in social communication and interaction that can be seen in various ways such as poor nonverbal communication, inappropriate social exchanges, or lack of skills in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships (APA, 2013). Along with better awareness and diagnosis of this illness over the last few decades, a multitude of intervention programs have been developed to treat ASD.

The United States is facing an autism epidemic. The latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that 1 in every 88 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The number of children with ASDs has greatly increased from the 1980s when children were diagnosed at a rate of 2-5 in 10,000 (Kogan et. al., 2009). Little debate remains about whether these statistics reflect an increase in actual cases or an expanded level of awareness, identification, and diagnosis of these disorders. Even when taking into account wider diagnostic criteria, research suggests the increase in the number of disorders is real (Hertz-Picciotto & Delwiche, 2009).