The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

Currently there is little reliable information regarding the epidemiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in the United States. A cooperative alliance of researchers investigating the epidemiology of ASD, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is carrying out the first, integrated, multi-state, ASD prevalence investigation in eighteen states. Autism Spectrum Disorders have become a major health concern in the United States. Service providers report dramatic increases in the numbers of people with autism spectrum disorders. Public schools, for example, report a ten-fold increase in as many years for special education services for children with autism. Early studies estimated the prevalence of autism to be 4 to 5 in 10,000 persons. Two recent community-based studies, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found ratios of Autism Spectrum Disorders between 4-6 per 1000, much higher than previous estimates. Beyond these two community based studies however, there is little reliable information regarding the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders in the United States. Despite wide quotes from national organizations on autism prevalence, few scientific, population-based studies have been conducted. A cooperative alliance of researchers investigating the epidemiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders in eighteen states has been created by the Centers for Disease Control. This alliance is carrying out the first, integrated, multi-state Autism Spectrum Disorders prevalence investigation. The objectives of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Program (ADDM) are: 1) the determination of reliable Autism Spectrum Disorders prevalence rates in the participating states, 2) establishment of an Autism Spectrum Disorder surveillance system to determine trends in Autism Spectrum Disorders prevalence, and 3) the development of population-based data for special studies. The proposed presentation is by two of the ADDM States' Principal Investigators, Dr. Jane Charles of South Carolina and Dr. Barbara Becker of West Virginia, as well as ADDM'S Scientific Officer, Dr. Catherine Rice. Dr. Charles is a developmental pediatrician and associate professor at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Becker holds a Doctorate of Education and is the Executive Director of the statewide West Virginia Autism Training Center. Dr. Rice is a behavior scientist with the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, U.S. Centers on Disease Control and Prevention and is the Scientific Officer for the ADDM Network. They will review common Autism Spectrum Disorders case definitions and rigorous methods for uniform case review and abstraction of records. The presentation will critique the progress of this intense, population-based, multiple source, case finding approach to determine ASD prevalence undertaken by the South Carolina and West Virginia Autism Developmental Disabilities Network. This investigation will yield the most accurate estimates of Autism Spectrum Disorders and lead to a more comprehensive appreciation of autism as a public health problem. Once the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network sites establish state specific Autism Spectrum Disorders prevalence rates, network sites will be able to pool their anonymized data in order to investigate possible causes and correlates of autism. Having established a platform for Autism Spectrum Disorders surveillance, the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Program Network will be able to apply its methods to the surveillance of other important developmental disabilities. Learning Objectives 1. The learner will gain an understanding of the importance and need for autism spectrum disorders surveillance. 2. The learner will be able to identify “triggers” common in autism spectrum disorders. 3. The learner will gain knowledge of the structure and work of the South Carolina and West Virginia Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network and their current efforts for determining the most accurate estimate of the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders.

Content Area: Medicine and Research