Autism's Rising Rates: A Deep Dive into Autism's Increasing Prevalence and 50 Years of Data

National Council on Severe Autism Webinar, February 15, 2024, featuring:
Jill Escher, Escher Fund for Autism
Walter Zahorodny, PhD, Rutgers University
This webinar examines the most important and poorly understood phenomenon in autism — the sharply escalating rates over the past several decades. The speakers explain:
• The overwhelming evidence for a true increase in autism in the U.S., including specifically California (Escher) and New Jersey (Zahorodny), an increase that is likely between 2,000-5,500%
• The evidence for a true increase in other high-income countries (and lower rates in lower-income countries)
• The lack of evidence for commensurate autism rates in older birth cohorts
• The flaws in the arguments that certain studies (eg, Hansen or Brugha) show there has been no increase in autism
• Autism rates are still increasing, and no one understands why
• The tired, unsupported rationalizations that the autism increase stems from awareness and diagnostic shifts
• An emerging hypothesis that could help explain at least part of the surge, and the 6 key findings from autism research
• The reasons for widespread denial of the increase in autism
NOTE: Toward the end of her talk Jill mentions that in "2022" California enacted more stringent eligibility requirements for inclusion in DDS — as she mentioned earlier, that year was 2003. Please pardon the misstatement.
Links:
JillEscher.com
EscherFund.org

Autism Epidemic, Autism Research, Autism Genetics, Autism Epigenetics, CDC ADDM Network, Developmental Disabilities, Aspergers, Autistic Disorder, Gene-Environment Interaction, Heritable Impacts of General Anesthesia, Sevoflurane