Shannon Des Roches Rosa Today the CDC released new autism prevalence numbers of 1 in 59, or 1.7%. As we wrote in 2014 after the CDC adjusted its autism prevalence rate to 1 in 68, it’s important to keep calm and think critically about what these readjusted numbers actually mean: We are getting better at finding and diagnosing autistic kids. This is good news. As the CDC press release states, “Autism prevalence among black and Hispanic children is approaching that of white children.” This means that more autistic kids who need support will have the opportunity to get it. Many researchers and experts have long considered the CDC’s estimated autism prevalence rates to be too low, and consider the 1 in 38 estimate from a 2011 study of autism prevalence in South Korea to be more realistic. This is not evidence of some sort of “autism epidemic.” Much of the…
