Have autism rates really tripled in the US, or are doctors just getting better at detecting it?

The number of children with autism has tripled in 16 years, raising questions about whether the condition is becoming more common.

A study by researchers at Rutgers University found that between 2000 and 2016, the rate of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among children under the age of 8 increased from about 10 per 1,000 to about 30 per 1,000. within the New Jersey and New York metropolitan area.

A similar rise has been seen nationally, with rates rising from one in 150 in 2000 to one in 54 in 2016.

There is currently no standard medical test for autism yet, but there have been great advances in diagnostic capabilities, as well as a greater understanding of the disorder, that seem to be driving, at least in part, the rise.

The graph above from the new Rutgers study shows estimates of autism prevalence per 1,000 eight-year-olds in New Jersey overall and by intellectual ability. The proportion of eight-year-olds diagnosed with autism who do not have intellectual disability increased more steeply (shown in the blue line) than those who do not (shown in the green line).

The study, published in the journal Pediatricsfound that the proportion of eight-year-olds diagnosed with autism who did not have intellectual disabilities increased more than those without: five times compared to doubling between 2000 and 2016.

The Rutgers team said the main reasons were advances in diagnosis, particularly in identifying autism without intellectual disability.

This refers to children with average or above-average IQs and autistic traits, such as trouble socializing, communicating, and doing the same things over and over again. These cases of autism can be more difficult to detect.

National rates of autism in the United States have increased over time. Rates increased from one in 150 children diagnosed with autism at age eight in 2000 to one in 54 in 2016, according to CDC data.

However, researchers are clear that the increased prevalence of autism has nothing to do with vaccinations.

Santhosh Girirajan, an associate professor at Pennsylvania State University, said nbc news: ‘We have known for sure, for many years, that vaccines do not cause autism.’

Other reasons for the increase include genetic and environmental factors, but the precise cause is unknown.

Numerous studies have shown that children born to older parents are more likely to have the disorder. Complications at birth also increase the risk.

The Rutgers study said that universal autism screening at routine pediatric visits is needed to better identify cases of autism that are moderate to mild.

Because there is no standard test for the condition, doctors must rely on the child’s developmental history and behavior.

But experts say early intervention can make a big difference, as early detection is key to ensuring children on the spectrum get the help they need.

To receive an official diagnosis, children still need to see a trained professional, but the ASDQ questionnaire represents another step toward a standardized test for autism.

ASD screening is recommended at the 18- and 24-month milestones, in which a child’s language, movement, and thinking skills, as well as behaviors and emotions, are compared to the rest of their age group .

However, the formal diagnosis must be handled by a trained specialist, such as a developmental pediatrician or child psychologist.

Approximately one in 44 children in the US have autism, a number that continues to rise as the stigma of the disorder is removed.

Yet despite scientific and societal advances, autism is often only diagnosed well into childhood.

While the average age of diagnosis in the US is four, in the UK it is even higher, at six.