“ Autism affects one in 45 children in the United States, almost twice the rate from a few years ago, said a survey Friday that…

“ Autism affects one in 45 children in the United States, almost twice the rate from a few years ago, said a survey Friday that uses a new approach to assess the frequency of the developmental disorder. The latest figures may reflect a more accurate picture of autism spectrum disorder, said the report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics, and so does not necessarily mean that there is a ballooning autism epidemic.

In fact, the study found that while autism spectrum diagnoses are more frequent than in the past, the overall number of people affected by neurodevelopment problems has not risen, but has remained steady over time. Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability that may cause a person to have difficulty behaving, learning, communicating and interacting with people. It is believed to be influenced by genetic and environmental factors, though scientists do not fully understand all its causes.”