New York - One per cent of American children suffer from autism or a related developmental disorder, a new study published Monday said. "This is a significant issue that needs immediate attention," Dr. Ileana Arias, deputy director of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, which published the report, said.
Boys were four times more likely to be affected by autism-spectrum disorders, the study found.
The new figures show a dramatic rise in the number of diagnosed autism cases. In 2003, around one in every 150 children were affected by the disability, but now the number is one in around 90.
"We don't know whether the change in the number over time is a result of the change in the actual condition, in the actual number of conditions or in part due to the fact that the condition is being recognized differently," Arias was quoted by the news channel CNN as saying.
Autism and its related conditions, Asperger's Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder, manifest themselves in a range of ways from poor social interaction to complete isolation.
