When a disorder shows exponential rate increases and becomes the fastest-growing developmental disability, according to the CDC, it’s something worth looking into. It’s happening with Autism. It’s now affecting as many as 1 in 68 children in America and in the 10 year span from 2000-2010 there was a 119.4% increase in autism in the U.S. Autism has become such a “mainstream” disorder that it’s now being portrayed on Sesame Street. The iconic children’s show, which has been on the air for 46 years, welcomes a new autistic character, Julia.
Despite the prevalence of autism, it’s still touchy subject. Only 10% of Autism cases have a known causation. The other 90% are simply diagnosed with no known cause. This leads to many theories about possible causes, and not all have the adequate research to determine their validity. More research needs to be done, because with cases of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) becoming more and more frequent there is more to learn about why.