California, 700 New cases of autism in less than three months

[Guest guest]

From: rrollens@a...

Date: Wed Apr 18, 2001 3:55am

Subject: California Sets Record For New Autism Cases

California Reports: All time record 700 new cases of

autism in less than 3

months.

According to a report just released from the

California Department of

Developmental Services, California is now adding one

new child every three

HOURS with full-blown Level 1 DSM IV autism to the

developmental services

system. During the 88 day period from January 4, 2001

to April 3, 2001, 700

new children were professionally diagnosed with DSM

IV autism, a rate of 8

new children a day seven days a week, or one new

child every three hours. The

700 new children represents the largest quarterly

increase in the history of

California's developmental services system, and

represents an increase of 107

more children than reported in the previous record

highest quarter.

Historically throughout the late 1960's and through

the 1970's, California

was adding roughly 100-200 new cases A YEAR of autism

to it's developmental

services system, with autism accounting for 3% of the

total number of new

cases coming into the system which includes mental

retardation, cerebral

palsy, and epilepsy. Since the beginning of the

autism epidemic in 1979-80,

California's increase of new cases of autism has

exploded to the current

level of 700 new cases EVERY THREE MONTHS, and autism

now accounts for an

unbelievable 37% of all the new cases coming into

California's developmental

services system. While California's developmental

services system has been

diagnosing autism since 1969, the standard for

inclusion into the system has

not changed, that is, only those professionally

diagnosed with the most

severe cases of autism are qualified for services and

counted in these

reports. The figures in these reports DO NOT include

any autism spectrum

disorders such as PDD, NOS, Asperger's, Retts,

Fragile X or any other autism

spectrum disorder. What would this increase look like

if we included all of

the autism spectrum disorders?

Jan-April 1994 173 new children Total cases

(4/94): 5,281

Jan-April 1995 234 new children Total cases

(4/95): 6,009

Jan-April 1996 230 new children Total cases

(4/96): 6,757

Jan-April 1997: 388 new children Total cases

(4/97): 7,875

Jan-April 1998: 339 new children Total cases

(4/98): 9,120

Jan-April 1999: 593 new children Total cases

(4/99): 10,799

Jan-April 2000: 416 new children Total cases

(4/00): 12,566

Jan-April 2001: 700 new children Total cases

(4/01): 14,777

Evidence grows with every quarterly and yearly

report from the best data

source on autism in the world, that autism is a

rapidly growing epidemic,

increasing faster then anyone could imagine or

anticipate.

The situation begs the question: If California

reported that eight new

children a day were showing up at the door steps of

hospitals throughout

California with a devastating and crippling brain

disorder, what would the

response be by our policy makers and public health

community? Does anyone

honestly believe that anyone would seriously suggest

that the reason they

were there was because somehow we have just now come

to recognize what a

disabling brain disorder looks like?

A public health crisis of monumental proportions is

occurring right before

our eyes.

[Guest guest]

> From: rrollens@a...

> Date: Wed Apr 18, 2001 3:55am

> Subject: California Sets Record For New Autism

Cases

>

>

>

> California Reports: All time record 700 new cases

of

> autism in less than 3

> months.

WOW! Did you forward this to the Montel ' website?

Sue