California Reports: Autism Epidemic Rages On - 886 New Children in 91 days

     From California autism advocate Rick Rollens.

     According to information released last week by California's Department
of Developmental Services (DDS), during the 91 day period that was the first
quarter of 2007 (Q 1), 886 new children with a professional diagnosis of
full syndrome DSM IV autism, NOT including PDD, NOS, Asperger's Syndrome or
any other autism spectrum disorder were added to California's developmental
services system.
     There were a total of 1570 total new intakes during Q 1 2007 which
included children with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, epilepsy,
and a myriad of rare genetic conditions such as Fragile X, Down's Syndrome,
etc. Of the 1570 total new intakes, 886 or 56% were full syndrome autism
cases. The 886 new intakes during that 91 day period represents the second
highest number of new intakes for a quarter reporting period in the 38 year
history of California's developmental services system. On average,
California is currently adding 10 new children a day, seven days a week with
full syndrome autism to its system.  In 1971, California included autism as
a qualifying condition to it's developmental services system. During the 16
year period from 1971 through 1987, California had a total caseload of
roughly 2700 persons with autism.
     During the past nine months alone, from July 2006 to April 2007,
California added roughly 2700 new cases. What use to take 16 years in
caseload growth now takes 9 months!    Twenty years ago in 1987 there were
2700 persons with autism in the system, today 20 years later, there are
nearly 34,000....92% born after 1980, 84% under the age of 21, and 78% under
the age of 18.
     We are still waiting for the missing 14,000+ adults with autism that
should be in our system if there has not been a real increase in autism to
show up now that we know what autism looks like (HaHa). Still no sign of
them. The fact is, they do not exist. In California's system today, less
then 2 out of 10 persons with autism are 22 years of age or older, the
remaining 8 1/2 out of 10 are between the ages of 3 and 21.

--
~Nate.