Autism 2000: A Tragedy by F. Edward Yazbak, MD, FAAP.

The following data, from Table AA11 of the twenty-first report of the United States Department of Education to Congress (IDEA) show that the accelerating increase in autism is continuing (http://www.ideadata.org./tables/ar_aa11.htm) Nationwide, in a one-year period, 97-98 to 98-99, autism has increased by 26% among children ages 6 to 21 attending school in the United States. In the same population, the following relevant increases were reported in the same period:

% Increase	States	% Increase	States
0-5 %	2	5-10 %	1
10-15 %	4	15-20 %	5
20-25 %	13	25-30 %	7
30-35 %	10	35-40 %	3
40-45 %	3	45-50 %	1

One state, Ohio, reported a 106% increase. Further review reveals that the incidence of Autism/PDD in Ohio has been increasing steadily for the last few years, as evidenced by the following figures from the Special Education Department of the Ohio State DOE:

Year	Number
1992	22
1993	124
1994	144
1995	199
1996	292
1997	501
1998	1040
1999	1523

Year Number 1992 22 1993 124 1994 144 1995 199 1996 292 1997 501 1998 1040 1999 1523

In eight years, 1992 to 1999, Autism/PDD has increased by 6,822% in Ohio. It is extremely important to note that these figures do not include affected children under age 6 and those not attending school. In the same eight years, children in special education increased by 2.2%. Because it is most likely that in the last four years, the staff completing the evaluations and the diagnostic criteria have remained unchanged, the following percentage increases are meaningful and probably, statistically reliable:

**Yearly Percentage Increase**
Years	Increase
95-96	46.73%
96-97	71.57%
97-98	107.58%
98-99	46.44%

The twenty-first report to Congress sends another very alarming signal. As in previous annual reports, Table AA8 demonstrates a nationwide higher incidence of Autism/PDD in the younger age groups, and therefore suggests that increases will continue. <http://www.ideadata.org/tables/ar_aa8.htm>

**Number of Children with autism served under IDEA by age**
6 years old	7,677	7 years old	6,839	8 years old	6,202
9 years old	5316	10 years old	4.654	11 years old	4,109
12 years old	3,406	13 years old	3,078	14 years old	2,563
15 years old	2,460	16 years old	2,099	17 years old	1,755
18 years old	1,373	19 years old	966	20 years old	730
21 years old	349	22 years old	224

Noteworthy is the fact that unlike Autism/PDD, all other disabilities are actually decreasing among younger children in US schools:

Age	All Disabilities
6 years old	326,594
7 years old	396,635
8 years old	477,768
9 years old	520,004
10 years old	528,215