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Autism cases rise dramatically
Page Last Updated: Friday December 18, 2009 12:00am PST
Top Story-Autism |
The Centers for Disease Control have released new statistics that show 1 in 110 American children has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.
"This is a public health emergency," said Ralph Toddre, who serves on the Nevada Commission for Autism Spectrum Disorders. "I would like to see the government accept and understand that this is a public health emergency, and treat it like any other such emergency.
"This is a lifetime issue."
The results of the study reflect a 50% rise in autism cases over the past two years alone, and a 600% increase over the past 20 years. While scientists have long wondered whether the disorder is caused by genetics, most now believe such an explosive rise in the number of cases points toward either an environmental or viral cause for the disease.
Activists like Toddre say society must confront the challenges of the disease because children now living with the illness will require help and support for the remainder of their lives, long after their families are able to care for them anymore.
"With the way these numbers are growing," Toddre said, "odds are that [everyone] will be affected.
"Eventually, everybody in this country will be affected."
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Home»Community Home»Community Reno»Autism cases rise dramatically
TOM M.
December 19, 2009 12:51pm PST
Mark as Offensive
Is this just a case of "The sky is falling" again? I realize that autism is a problem but to say 1 in 75 or 1 in 100 children have it, is just a little too much to me. It seems we are giving things a name to give people some sense of security. It sounds too much like calling senility - Alzheimer's. Could some of these children just be misbehaving? Just my thoughts.