Washington (AP) – Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. On Wednesday, children in the United States warned a diagnosis of autism at an “alarming rate”, promising to conduct exhaustive studies to identify any environmental factor likely to cause development disorder.
His call comes the day after the disease control and prevention centers A report found It is estimated that 1 out of 31 American child at autism, a marked increase compared to 2020.
Autism experts applaud the efforts to understand the condition more, but say that the number of cases reported began to make the ball as the definition of the condition has spread to include light cases.
“Autism destroys families,” said Kennedy. “More importantly, it destroys our greatest resource, which is our children. These are children who should not suffer like that. ”
Kennedy has described autism as a “avoidable disease”, although researchers and scientists have identified genetic factors associated with it. Autism is not considered a disease, but a complex disorder that affects the brain. Cases are largely in gravity, with symptoms that may include delays in the language, learning and social or emotional skills. A few Autistic features can go unnoticed well in adulthood.
Those who have spent decades to seek autism have found no unique cause. In addition to genetics, scientists have identified various possible factors, including the age of a child’s father, the weight of the mother and if she suffered from diabetes or has been exposed to certain chemicals.
Kennedy said his vast plan to determine the cause of autism will examine all of these environmental and other factors. He had previously settled a September deadline To determine what causes autism, but said on Wednesday at that time, his department will determine at least “certain” answers.
The effort will involve delivering grants to universities and researchers, said Kennedy. He said that researchers will be encouraged to “follow science, no matter what she says”.
The Trump administration recently canceled Billions of dollars in health and science research subsidies have been sent to universities.
THE The latest CDC autism data came from 14 states and Puerto Rico in 2022. The previous estimate – from 2020 – was 1 in 36.
Boys continue to be diagnosed more than girls, and the highest rates are Among the children Who are Asian / island of the Pacific, Aboriginal of America / Alaska and Black.
To estimate How common autism The CDC has checked health and education files for children aged 8, as most cases are diagnosed by this age. Other researchers have their own estimates, but experts claim that the CDC estimate is the most rigorous and the gold stallion.
On Wednesday, Kennedy criticized the theories that the increase in autism cases can be attributed to more awareness of disorder. Autism researchers have cited increased awareness, as well as medical progress and increased diagnostics of light cases.
“The reasons for the increase in the diagnosis of autism are just scientific progress and health care,” said Annette Estes, director of the Washington University Center. “It is difficult for many people to understand this because the causes of autism are complex.”
The Autism Sciences Foundation said Kennedy’s emphasis on environmental factors contradicts the results of the CDC report.
“This report is the most convincing proof to date that changes of factors such as access to services and the de-stigmatization of (autism spectrum disorders) lead to the increase in prevalence,” said Dr. Alycia Halladay, director of sciences of the Autism Sciences Foundation.
___
The writers of the Associated Press Jonel Aleccia in Temecula, California, and Mike Stobbe in Atlanta contributed to this report.
