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Autism may affect one in 100 children
LYNDSAY MOSS HEALTH CORRESPONDENT
THE number of children in the UK with autism has been massively underestimated, and as many as one in 100 could be affected by the disorder, scientists said yesterday.
There is no central register of everyone with autism in the UK, meaning it is difficult to estimate the exact number.
Pre-1990 estimates put the rate at about four or five cases per 10,000 people. But a new study, published in the Lancet, suggests autism and related disorders are much more common than previously thought - affecting 1 per cent of all children.
Campaigners said the findings highlighted the importance of tackling the "deeply inadequate" provision of services for those affected by autism.
For the latest study, researchers from Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London focused on a group of children aged nine and ten in south London, looking for evidence of autism and related disorders, known as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) - such disorders impair a person's ability to interact socially with others and communicate.
From a group of 57,000 children, Professor Gillian Baird and her colleagues identified 255 youngsters already diagnosed with ASDs and 1,515 judged possible undetected cases.
The team then randomly selected a group of 255 children for in-depth assessment. As a result, they estimated that 39 children per 10,000 had autism, while 77 had ASD - meaning a total prevalence of all types of ASD of 116 per 10,000.
Prof Baird said: "Services in health, education and social care will need to recognise the needs of children with some form of ASD."
A number of theories have been suggested as to why the number of autistic children appears to be rising. Most controversially, some have tried to link the increase to the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab or thimerosal - a vaccine preservative which contains mercury. Both of these theories have been strongly rejected by research evidence.
Prof Baird said they could only speculate on the reasons.
"I don't think there are any strong leads," she said. "We know it is a highly genetically linked condition, but the fact that that is the case does not rule out environmental factors which may trigger it."
Last month, figures revealed that more than 110 autistic pupils were excluded from Scottish schools last year.
Mike Collins, head of education at the National Autistic Society, said the latest research underlined the importance of appropriate services for autistic people. "Current provision for those with the disability is deeply inadequate, given the scale of the need," he said.
"Government and local authorities must ensure that education, health and social services are adequately funded and all staff appropriately trained in order to meet the needs of those living with the disability and their families."
LYNDSAY MOSS HEALTH CORRESPONDENT
THE number of children in the UK with autism has been massively underestimated, and as many as one in 100 could be affected by the disorder, scientists said yesterday.
There is no central register of everyone with autism in the UK, meaning it is difficult to estimate the exact number.
Pre-1990 estimates put the rate at about four or five cases per 10,000 people. But a new study, published in the Lancet, suggests autism and related disorders are much more common than previously thought - affecting 1 per cent of all children.
Campaigners said the findings highlighted the importance of tackling the "deeply inadequate" provision of services for those affected by autism.
For the latest study, researchers from Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London focused on a group of children aged nine and ten in south London, looking for evidence of autism and related disorders, known as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) - such disorders impair a person's ability to interact socially with others and communicate.
From a group of 57,000 children, Professor Gillian Baird and her colleagues identified 255 youngsters already diagnosed with ASDs and 1,515 judged possible undetected cases.
The team then randomly selected a group of 255 children for in-depth assessment. As a result, they estimated that 39 children per 10,000 had autism, while 77 had ASD - meaning a total prevalence of all types of ASD of 116 per 10,000.
Prof Baird said: "Services in health, education and social care will need to recognise the needs of children with some form of ASD."
A number of theories have been suggested as to why the number of autistic children appears to be rising. Most controversially, some have tried to link the increase to the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab or thimerosal - a vaccine preservative which contains mercury. Both of these theories have been strongly rejected by research evidence.
Prof Baird said they could only speculate on the reasons.
"I don't think there are any strong leads," she said. "We know it is a highly genetically linked condition, but the fact that that is the case does not rule out environmental factors which may trigger it."
Last month, figures revealed that more than 110 autistic pupils were excluded from Scottish schools last year.
Mike Collins, head of education at the National Autistic Society, said the latest research underlined the importance of appropriate services for autistic people. "Current provision for those with the disability is deeply inadequate, given the scale of the need," he said.
"Government and local authorities must ensure that education, health and social services are adequately funded and all staff appropriately trained in order to meet the needs of those living with the disability and their families."
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