Autism on the Rise

The prevalence of U.S. children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is now 1 in 59, according to new estimates released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a significant increase from the 1 in 68 estimated in 2016.
Estimates range from 1 in 34 in New Jersey to 1 in 76 in Arkansas; roughly 1 in 38 boys have autism, outnumbering girls 4-to-1, according to the report.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center partnered with the CDC to publish, for the first time, specific data regarding ASD prevalence in Tennessee, which is 1 in 64 for an 11-county region surrounding Nashville.
VUMC participated in the population study through a $1.8 million grant from the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network.
Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders is using TN Department of Education technical assistance and training grants to meet educational and behavioral needs of children with ASD and their families through:
• A school-aged training program designed to equip teachers, special educators and administrators with evidence-based resources for meeting classroom needs
• An early childhood grant facilitating the development of model preschool classrooms and enhancing the preschool workforce for children with autism
• Early intervention contracts utilizing advancements in telemedicine and early intervention to place meaningful services in the hands of families without delay.