"This is a dramatic increase in the number of kids classified as autistic or documented on the spectrum of similar disorders ," Dr. Beverly Mulvihill, co-author of the study, said. "It is not entirely clear what is causing the rise."
The study confirms previous research that indicates boys are 4.5 times more likely to have autism than girls are.
However, there was some promising news about autism published in the journal Pediatrics. A study from the University of Washington found that after two years of intense intervention, very young children with autism increased their IQs by 17.6 points.
- Researchers enrolled 48 children ages 18 to 30 months old either into a group that got intense therapy called the Early Start Denver Model or into a group with a less intense program.
- The Early Start Denver Model requires children to spend 20 hours a week with therapists in their own homes, for parents to undergo training for five or more hours a week, and other services.
- After two years, the children in the Denver Model had improved diagnosis, less disruptive behaviors, and higher IQs.
Labels: autism
Posted By: Aspen/CRC