Why Has the Incidence Rate of Autism Increased Research Paper

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Autistic Children Being Born Increasing or Were They Always There?

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological disorder which is defined by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (2015) as "the name for a group of developmental disorders. ASD includes a ... spectrum, of symptoms, skills, and levels of disability." The spectrum of conditions include a range of potential common characteristics, including unusual and/or repetitive behavioural traits, problems associated with communicating and interacting with other people, and symptoms which may adversely impact on an individual's ability to function socially (NIMH, 2015). The condition appears to manifest in children from all ethnic backgrounds, although research of Kogan et al. (2009), indicates that prevalence of the condition has a high incidence in certain populations. Firstly, gender with reports that boys are four times more likely to have ASD compared to girls (Kogan et al., 2009). The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (2016), also identified this bias in manifestation, and a greater prevalence in male rather than female children. Kogan et al., (2009), also found that non-Hispanic black children were 57% less likely to have ASD compared to non-Hispanic white children, and non-Hispanic multicultural children were 42% less likely to have ASD compared to non-Hispanic white children. The severity of the condition also varied, with 49.6% of parents describing the symptoms as mild (Kogan et al., 2009). 33.9% of children were classified as presenting moderate symptoms, and 16.5% is severe, with no significant difference in severity level and assessed by gender or sociodemographic factors, other than children classified as suffering severe effects were more likely to have parents with less than 12 years of education, accounting to 68% of the sample.

These results indicate be possible to argue there are biological influences, especially with the impact of gender and ethnic origin on the potential manifestation of ASD . However, sociodemographic factors, such as parental educational levels also better. Importantly, when examining the data, it may also be considered that when examining sociodemographic factors, there are other potential variables related to these are considering economic utility, ethnic minorities often suffering from social demographic problems, such as lower levels of income, and the associated lifestyle issues.

A key issue in managing or treating any condition is the ability to diagnose the condition. There is little doubt that the numbers of children diagnosed with ASD have increased (Newschaffer, F, & Gurney, 2005). The question for many medical professionals today, is whether the occurrence of autism is increasing, or whether the rise diagnosis is simply due to a greater level of recognition, as well as a possibility for over diagnosis.

Methodology

This brief research paper will be based secondary data gathered from existing peer review journals and official sources, such as the CDC. The topic is one that is difficult to assess, as the identification of under diagnosis in the past is problematic, due to the historic nature of data. Therefore, the research methodology employed will be based on a pragmatic approach, utilising an inductive research paradigms. The inductive, rather than deductive approach is suitable due to the complex nature of the problem, and acceptance there may be more than a single answer, which is aligned with an interpretivist rather than a positivist epistemology (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, 2012). It is more usual within medical, and scientific research in general, to adopt the positivist paradigms, associated with a deductive, rational approach (Furtak, Seidel, Iverson, & Briggs, 2012). However, to provide the required characteristics of research; validity and reliability (Cresswell, 2013), in a robust manner, the research would be required to undertake a vast level of data collection in order to analyse trends in data. With many different views, potential for sociodemographic influences, as well as changing environment, the pragmatic research paradigms facilitates a more flexible approach (Saunders et al., 2012). Therefore, methodology employed aims at providing some generalisable results, which may provide a basis for further research.

The research in this paper based on an extensive literature review, using secondary information to assess the changes in prevalence levels, and identify potential explanations for those changes, and examine these explanations in any statistical results primary research which may support, or undermine, the potential for other variables impacting on increased levels of autism. If new variables are not discovered that may explain how and why autism is increasing, it is more likely that the influences are not causing the right, it is that the diagnostic processes are improving.

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Therefore, in addition to considering potential causes would increase autism, diagnostic procedures may also be considered.

Results

In research undertaken to assess prevalence levels, a continual increase is identified by numerous authors. Not only Newschaffer et al. (2005), in table 1 presented below, showing the number of children diagnosed with autism per 10,000, against the age they were diagnosed, with the various lines indicating the year they were born.

Suresh (2015) quantifies the change utilising statistical records. Between 1970 and 1980 was assessed that one in every 2000 children was diagnosed as ASD, this increased to 1 in every 150 children in 2015. This appears to be part of an ongoing trend, and supports the findings of Newschaffer et al. (2005). Suresh (2015) raises the question of whether or not there have been an increased due to external factors, is identified or identified, or are the result of better screening and diagnostic processes.

Suresh (2015), identified a number of potential influences including vaccines, Wi-Fi signals, and atmospheric influences such as contrails and proximity to freeways. The underlying concept is the exposure to these environmental influences may impact on the biological development of the child. The arguments of Suresh (2015) appear to have some support. For example, the research by Landrigan (2010) integrates, indirectly, that environmental factors can increase the potential for autism where there is exposure to compounds such as methylmercury, ethical alcohol, and lead. Importantly, there are some positive links found with the development of autism, and exposure of the mother during the early stages of pregnancy to thalidomide, valproic acid, misoprostol, and maternal rubella infection (Landrigan, 2010). This indicates that exposure in the womb may have an impact on autism rates, and as exposure rates of pregnant women increase, if this hypothesis is correct, one would expect autism rates increase. Furthermore, it is argued that many of the potential chemicals impacting on the development of autism may remain unidentified, but in 2010, and has been identified there are more than 200 neurotoxic atmospheric chemicals, with less than 20% having been examined within neurobiological research to assess potential impact on autism development (Landrigan, 2010).

Samaco et al. (2005) have identified the cause of autism as a neurodevelopmental disorder linked to specific chromosome deficiencies. Therefore, they certainly alignment with biological causes, which it would appear likely could be caused by environmental factors (Samaco et al., 2005).

When considering environmental factors which may impact not only during pregnancy, but on children after they are born, such as those identified by Suresh (2015), there are fewer persuasive studies, with the majority of research based on hypothesis and deductive reasoning. Therefore, these may not be proven to cause autism, but cannot be discounted as unable to be an influence. Therefore, it appears there may be some environmental influences, but this does not necessarily negate the potential impact of a change in diagnosis processes.

The next consideration is the process of diagnosis. Newschaffer et al., (2005) found that where a diagnosis was based on input from parents, there was a greater prevalence for misdiagnosis and overdiagnosis parents compared to medical profession. This was one of the reasons credited with the potential greater level of diagnosis in white children, compared to non-Hispanic black and cultural children. This may be the result of increased parental awareness of the condition, and that urgent motivations on the part of parents to have their diagnosed. However, another important factor is the way in which the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder has changed, at a basic level this may be seen in the way the criteria has changed in the various DSM criteria. Partland et al. (2012) note that the application of DSM IV and DSM V will result in potentially different diagnosis on a minority of cases; specially DSM V accurately excluding marginally more people from an ASD diagnosis compared to its predecessor. This result indicates that underpass diagnostic criteria is possible there would have been and over-diagnosis, which could partly be the result of inaccurate diagnosis of ASD in those not suffering from the condition (Partland et al., 2012).

' King & Bearman (2009) undertook a case study examining diagnosis of ASD in California, with a specific intention of determining whether the increase that it was the result of changes in diagnostic procedures. The results clearly indicated that the potential for a diagnosis of.....

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