http://libnt2.lib.tcu.edu/staff/lruede/shame.html
The United States Autism Epidemic:
Our Bitter Harvest
The numbers of children being diagnosed with autism is rising at a meteoric
rate--too fast to be explained by more frequent diagnostic recognition.
The following figures are statistics maintained by the Department of Education
for children with autism aged 6-21, who are given Special Education services
under IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). The totals
reflect the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Where
increase percentages rise past a certain point, approximately 5000%, the rate
is given below as "near infinite." Additional raw data can be
accessed at http://www.ideadata.org/tables24th\ar_aa3.htm,
for 2000-2001; at http://www.IDEAdata.org/tables/ar_aa2.htm,
for the year 1999-2000; and http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/Research,
for data prior to 1999 (Table AA2), along with complete texts of the Annual
Reports to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act, 1996 forward.
Explanations for the surge in autism rates abound. One recent
perspective appears in the Sunday Herald, United Kingdom, quoting Autism
Autoimmunity Project member F. Edward Yazbak, M.D., F.A.A.P. (http://www.sundayherald.com/print21347).
|
Autism Incidence Rates Derived From U. S. Department
of Education Figures |
|||
|
STATE |
1992-1993 |
2000-2001 |
PERCENT
INCREASE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alabama |
68 |
765 |
1,025 |
|
Alaska |
8 |
195 |
near infinite |
|
Arizona |
199 |
1,119 |
462 |
|
Arkansas |
30 |
671 |
2,137 |
|
California |
1,605 |
10,557 |
558 |
|
Colorado |
14 |
453 |
near infinite |
|
Connecticut |
164 |
1,225 |
647 |
|
Delaware |
15 |
263 |
1,653 |
|
District of
Columbia |
0 |
103 |
near infinite |
|
Florida |
582 |
3,926 |
575 |
|
Georgia |
262 |
1,916 |
631 |
|
Hawaii |
52 |
276 |
431 |
|
Idaho |
39 |
241 |
646 |
|
Illinois |
5 |
3,103 |
near infinite |
|
Indiana |
273 |
2,621 |
860 |
|
Iowa |
67 |
537 |
701 |
|
Kansas |
74 |
619 |
736 |
|
Kentucky |
38 |
864 |
2,174 |
|
Louisiana |
409 |
1,145 |
180 |
|
Maine |
37 |
444 |
1,100 |
|
Maryland |
28 |
1,933 |
near infinite |
|
Massachusetts |
493 |
575 |
17 |
|
Michigan |
288 |
4,075 |
1,315 |
|
Minnesota |
296 |
2,448 |
727 |
|
Mississippi |
0 |
385 |
near infinite |
|
Missouri |
336 |
1,589 |
373 |
|
Montana |
20 |
163 |
715 |
|
Nebraska |
4 |
337 |
near infinite |
|
Nevada |
5 |
394 |
near infinite |
|
New Hampshire |
0 |
342 |
near infinite |
|
New Jersey |
446 |
2,925 |
559 |
|
New Mexico |
16 |
225 |
1,305 |
|
New York |
1,648 |
5,943 |
260 |
|
North Carolina |
786 |
2,374 |
202 |
|
North Dakota |
9 |
118 |
near infinite |
|
Ohio |
22 |
2,217 |
near infinite |
|
Oklahoma |
31 |
666 |
2,048 |
|
Oregon |
37 |
2,516 |
near infinite |
|
Pennsylvania |
346 |
3,304 |
855 |
|
Puerto Rico |
266 |
473 |
78 |
|
Rhode Island |
19 |
309 |
1,526 |
|
South Carolina |
141 |
852 |
504 |
|
South Dakota |
36 |
227 |
531 |
|
Tennessee |
304 |
935 |
208 |
|
Texas |
1,444 |
6,023 |
317 |
|
Utah |
105 |
584 |
456 |
|
Vermont |
6 |
160 |
near infinite |
|
Virginia |
539 |
1,983 |
268 |
|
Washington |
476 |
1,620 |
240 |
|
West Virginia |
101 |
312 |
209 |
|
Wisconsin |
18 |
1,823 |
near infinite |
|
Wyoming |
15 |
94 |
527 |
|
TOTALS |
1992-1993 |
2000-2001 |
OVERALL INCREASE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
50 States,
DC, Puerto Rico |
12,222 |
78,717 |
544% |
ALL
INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR
GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE
KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED
AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO
VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU
ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.