The National Children's Health Survey recently released results from a 2007 telephone survey of over 80,000 households in the US, in which parents were asked if their child (ages 2-17) was known to "currently have autism, Asperger's Disorder, pervasive development disorder, or other autism spectrum disorder." The results of the survey showed that 1% of children (one in 100) now have the disorder. (Previous estimates from the CDC reported a prevalence rate of only one in 150.)

It also reported that 0.6 % of households surveyed report that their child "had the condition at some point in the past, but not currently." This finding supports numerous reports from the Autism Research Institute that recovery from autism is possible in some children. According to Dr. Steve M. Edelson, Executive Director of the Autism Research Institute (ARI), new research challenges the long-held view that autism is an incurable genetic disorder: "What we are discovering is that those with autism oftentimes have underlying medical disorders that impair neurological, gastrointestinal, metabolic, and immune systems, that when these problems are accurately diagnosed and treated, the symptoms of autism often improve -- sometimes to the point that the child is no longer classified as autistic."

In response to the rising prevalence of this disorder, ARI is sponsoring a think tank August 8-9th in Chicago, IL, bringing together expert international researchers and clinicians in an effort to better understand environmental factors that might trigger the disorder, and what can be done to restore health to those affected.

If you would like to interview one of the participants at the ARI think tank, either on the telephone or in person at the Marriott Suites O'Hare, please contact Lyn Redwood at 619-281-7165.

ARI was founded in 1967 by the late Dr. Bernard Rimland, and was the first organization to call attention to the dramatic increase in autism prevalence in the 1990's.