BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report on autism prevalence revealed an increase among young children in the U.S. in 2020, but officials say this is likely due to better screening and increased awareness.
The research is based on active surveillance across 11 monitoring sites in the U.S. for 8-year-old children in 2020. According to the report, one out of every 36 American children were diagnosed. That's up from one in 44 in 2018. The report also shows the rate rose faster among children of color.
Brandon Whitfield, senior clinical director at Autism Spectrum Therapies in Bakersfield, said this report highlights the need for understanding and greater acceptance for those who are neurodivergent.
“Just being patient, considering the fact that most of these individuals are going to have some processing delays, giving them the time to process what you're saying," he said. "As opposed to giving them one statement but if they didn't respond saying it multiple times just causes added stress. So say one phrase and give them a second or two to actually hear what you said, process what you said, and you might see them respond the way you want them to."
Whitfield says that when a child is first diagnosed, it can be a difficult transition for the entire family, which is why he says early intervention is best. He said parents should partner with speech pathologists and behaviorists, and encourages them to keep the entire family involved.
Often with autism, Whitfield said it’s important for families to hone in on any deficits such as communication or socialization and work on those skills. For those unsure of how to do so, he says there’s a bounty of resources and support.
“Regional centers are places set up by the California Department of Developmental Services for parents to go out and talk about how to get diagnosis," he said. "These entities are available for parents to go and seek different resources. So they can go out and talk to these individuals and find out how to get accurate diagnosis, they have parent support groups, sibling support groups, they're doing behavioral education, all of these things.”
Another resource that Whitfield points parents to is the CDC Developmental Milestone Application, which highlights at each age what a child should be able to do at that age so you can start to recognize and be aware of any potential deficits.
