The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that autism rates among U.S. children have reached an all-time high. According to the latest data, 1 in 31 children aged 8 or younger have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), marking a significant increase from previous years. Keep reading to find out why.

This upward swing in autism diagnoses has been ongoing trend over the past several decades. In 2000, the CDC reported that 1 in 150 children had been diagnosed with autism. By 2016, the figure had risen to 1 in 54. The current estimate of 1 in 31 represents a continuation of this pattern.

Several factors may contribute to the rising prevalence of autism. Improved awareness, better screening processes, and expanded diagnostic criteria have likely played roles in identifying more cases.

Researchers have also found that autism diagnoses are now more common among Asian, Black, and Hispanic children than their White peers, marking a significant shift in historical patterns. The researchers noted that this shift, “may reflect improved screening, awareness, and access to services among historically underserved groups.” Data shows that between 2018 and 2020, autism rates among these groups of children surged at more than twice the pace seen in their White counterparts.

However, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has noted that the increase in autism prevalence cannot be solely attributed to these outlined factors.

In response to this new data, HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr, said that autism is “preventable” and that “the autism epidemic has now reached a scale unprecedented in human history because it affects the young.” The department secretary also stated that we need to find out what “environmental toxins” are responsible for causing the surge in numbers.

Christopher Banks, the President and CEO of the Autism Society of America, rebutted the secretary’s claim of “autism being preventable” as something not based in scientific fact.

“Claiming that Autism is ‘preventable’ is not science based, and places unnecessary blame on people, parents and families. Autism is not a chronic disease, nor a childhood disease, it is a lifelong developmental condition; it is not an epidemic, nor should it be compared to the Covid-19 pandemic, and using language like that perpetuates falsehoods, stigma and stereotypes. The prevalence rates tell us that there is progress when it relates to improved screening and diagnostics, AND it emphasizes the need for more robust, comprehensive research and data rooted in credible methodologies.”

Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that affects social interaction, communication, and behavior. Per the CDC, boys are diagnosed four times more than girls with autism.