Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition that can affect how a child behaves and interacts with others. Because most children on the autism spectrum will sit, crawl and walk on time, you may not notice early delays in social and communication skills.
Looking back, many parents can recall differences in ways their child connected with the world as early as their first year.
See
What Are the Early Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Children on the autism spectrum and their families can be healthy and resilient
More research is needed to understand the course of development for children who are diagnosed on the autism spectrum. However, recent studies show that many children with an ASD diagnosis are healthy and doing well in mid-childhood.How common is ASD?
About 1 in 31 U.S. children (3.2%) are diagnosed on the autism spectrum by the time they are 8 years old, according to a 2025
report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network. The report was based on data collected at 16 sites throughout the United States in 2022.
For more information about the rise in autism rates reported and what it means for families, watch this video from pediatrician Sara Swoboda:
Differences based on gender and other factors
Boys are diagnosed on the spectrum more than 3 times more often than girls. Overall, the CDC report showed autism less common among non-Hispanic White children than among Asian or Pacific Islander, American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino and multiracial children. Rates of ASD ranged widely by location, from 9.7 per 1,000 8-year-old kids in Texas to 53.1 in California.
Why are more kids being diagnosed with autism?
Overall, the number of children reported to be on the autism spectrum has increased since the early 1990s.
The increase in autism rates could be caused by many factors. For example:
Many families became more aware of autism spectrum disorder.
Pediatricians began doing more
screening for autism spectrum disorder, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Children are identified earlier, which is a good thing. When more children are screened and diagnosed, more can receive tailored supports they need to thrive.
Schools became more aware of ASD, and children began receiving more appropriate
special education services.
There have been changes in how autism spectrum disorder is defined and diagnosed.
What causes ASD?
Children on the autism spectrum do not have one common cause or reason they have the condition. Many factors may lead to a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
Scientists continue to learn more about what causes autism spectrum disorder. We currently know that:
Families do not cause autism spectrum disorder.
Vaccines do not cause autism spectrum disorder. This has been thoroughly researched for decades by multiple medical experts the U.S. and several other countries.
Family medical history and genetics may play a role. For a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, the chance that a sibling might also be diagnosed is 10 to 20 times higher than for the general population. Relatives of children on the autism spectrum are more likely to share some similar social and behavioral characteristics of those seen among children with ASD. However, these characteristics may not be severe enough to be diagnosed.
Most children on the autism spectrum do not have a specific medical or genetic condition that explains why. However, autism spectrum disorder may occur more often in children with certain medical conditions or high-risk factors. These medical conditions can include fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis complex, Down syndrome, or other genetic disorders. Infants born preterm are another high-risk group.
There are specific differences in brain function between a child on the autism spectrum and a child who is not on the autism spectrum.
Environmental factors that may contribute to autism spectrum disorder are also an important area of research; these are not yet well understood.
Changes in how autism is defined & diagnosed
Doctors use a book called
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) to assist in diagnosing autism spectrum disorder. In the past, only children with the most severe autism spectrum disorder symptoms were diagnosed. But in 2013, the diagnostic criteria for ASD changed. This was based on research and clinical experience during the 2 decades since the DSM-IV was published in 1994. Now, children with more subtle traits are being identified as on the autism spectrum.
Several conditions used to be considered autism spectrum disorders in the DSM. Those conditions were:
With publication of the fifth edition of the DSM in 2013, the terms listed above are no longer used and these conditions are now grouped in the broader category of autism spectrum disorder. Many people may self-identify as having Asperger Syndrome, but professionals should no longer use this terminology when making a diagnosis.
The benefits of early identification of autism
Early intervention
Each child on the autism spectrum has different needs. The sooner autism spectrum disorder is identified, the sooner an
early intervention program directed at the child's symptoms can begin.
The AAP recommends that all children be screened for autism spectrum disorder at their
18- and
24-month well-child checkups. Research shows that starting an intervention program as soon as possible can improve outcomes for many children on the autism spectrum.
Co-existing conditions
In addition, children on the autism spectrum may have other medical problems that need further evaluation and treatment. Commonly co-existing conditions, called comorbidities, may include seizures, problems with sleep, gastrointestinal problems (feeding problems, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea) and behavioral health problems such as anxiety,
ADHD, irritability and aggression.
Remember
You can reach out to peer support organizations, such as
Family to Family Health Information Centers, for local information specific to children with special health care needs and disabilities.
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