Rising tide

Autism awareness is growing, as the increasing number of cases shows

Autism rates increased 57 per cent from 2002 to 2006. About 1 in 110 eight-year-olds in the US had autism spectrum disorder in 2006, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently.

Autism is a brain disorder that hinders a person’s ability to communicate. Diagnoses have ballooned for the disease that was considered before 1980 to be a rare condition affecting 1 in 2,000 children.

“The prevalence is shocking,” said Bob Wright, co- founder of Autism Speaks, an advocacy group, and former chairman of NBC Universal. “The good news is that the problems autism creates — the learning and communication disabilities — can be greatly helped in a large percentage of cases if a child gets early access to therapies.”

Autism spectrum disorder encompasses three diagnoses: autistic disorder, unspecified pervasive development disorder and Asperger syndrome. The conditions vary in severity and symptoms, making diagnosis difficult. Patients have trouble making eye contact, comprehending facial expressions, and learning to share and follow instructions. They show compulsive behaviours such as repeatedly stacking blocks or lining up rows of toys.

Autism may be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental risks, said Catherine Rice, a behavioural health scientist at the National Institutes of Health and the study’s lead author. Studies are looking at potential causes including exposure to hazardous pollutants and the added risk of parents giving birth at older ages. “It’s hard to say at this point how much is an actual increase and how much is an increase in identification.”

The study looked at eight-year-olds, because most autism has been identified by that age.

“The economic and emotional burden placed on families is just incredible,” said Lee Grossman, chief executive officer of the Autism Society of America, an advocacy group.

Bristol-Myers Squibb received regulatory approval in November for its mood-stabilising drug, Abilify, to treat irritability associated with autism.

In 2006, Johnson & Johnson was the first to receive clearance for a drug, Risperdal, to treat autistic children.