On Wednesday, April 16, U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., held a press conference in Washington, D.C., to discuss the findings of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) latest Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network survey, which was published on April 15.
Scientists will look at potential “environmental toxins,” believed by the Health Secretary to be linked to the rise in autism diagnoses, Jessie Hellmann reported for Roll Call.
RFK Jr. rejected arguments from scientists that the rise has been caused by increased awareness and better diagnostic tools, Hellman wrote. “We need to move away from this ideology that the autism prevalence increase — the relentless increase — is an artifact of better diagnoses, recognition and changing diagnostic criteria,” Kennedy said during the press briefing.
The CDC’s report was published as its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Prevalence of Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among children aged 8 years was higher in 2022 than in previous years, the study noted, with 1 out of 31 being diagnosed with ASD.
“Differences in health outcomes between racial and ethnic groups including higher rates of ASD and co-occurring intellectual disability could be related to differences in the frequency of social determinants of health (SDOH) characteristics,” the study suggested.
Additionally, “Higher prevalence of intellectual disability (along with other neurologic disorders) might be related to higher rates of preterm birth, which is associated with brain injuries and neurodevelopmental impairment and also is linked to SDOH.” Of course, SDOH factors also contribute to disparities in access to early autism therapies.
“Kennedy’s comments on autism have faced sharp criticism from advocates for people with autism, including the Autism Society of America, which said it’s ‘harmful, misleading, and unrealistic’ for HHS to pledge that the cause of autism will be quickly identified and exposures eliminated,” CNN’s Deirdre McPhillips wrote. RFK Jr. stated that the cause of autism will be known by September, following a massive testing and research effort.
“These misleading theories perpetuate harmful stigma, jeopardize public health, and distract from the critical needs of the Autism community including — access to quality care, early intervention, adult services, inclusive education, and long-term supports,” Christopher Banks, President and CEO of the Autism Society of America, said in a statement.
“This rise in prevalence does not signal an ‘epidemic’ as narratives are claiming — it reflects diagnostic progress, and an urgent need for policy decisions rooted in science and the immediate needs of the Autism community,” the Autism Society underscored in a news release.
