As the authors of the study discussed in your Oct. 20 editorial
"A Mysterious Upsurge in Autism," we appreciate that you pointed out
that our study did not rule out the possibility that the upsurge was
caused by a rise in the number of parents who sought assessments of
their children.
We would also like to emphasize the implications of the study.
The results show that the accuracy of diagnosis at the centers we
studied is quite high and has not changed over time. Therefore,
current estimates of the rates of autism are correct, and autism is
a larger public health problem than previously recognized. Greater
resources than had been anticipated will be necessary not only for
research into the "mysterious upsurge" but also to provide services
for the larger number of afflicted people.
ROBERT BYRD, M.D.
MARIAN SIGMAN
Sacramento, Oct. 22, 2002
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o
the Editor: