information for practice

The number of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) has risen over the past decade, but it is unclear whether the increase is due to changes in diagnosis or to a true increase in cases. The causes and risk factors for ASDs are also unclear. To get a better picture of the scope of ASDs in this country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has established the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network. The network is working to gain accurate counts of children with ASDs, to identify differences in how ASDs affect various subgroups, and to characterize the ASD population. This report summarizes the findings from the first years of the ADDM Network’s program.