BestHealthCareRates.com Warns of Significant Rise in the Incidences of Autism

The diagnosis of autism disorders has experienced a 57% jump over 4 years according to the Center for Disease Control. With boys being 5 times more likely to get autism, the incidence rate for boys is alarming high. 1 in every 70 boys will be diagnosed with an autism disorder by age 8. Girls have a 1 in 315 chance of having autism.

Those who study the disorders, such as Catherine Rice, PhD, admit that they cannot pinpoint one specific cause or factor that can explain such an increase. Doctors may be getting more proficient at diagnosing developmental issues like autism. Parents may also be more aware of such issues, in part due to the media, and be pursuing diagnoses more so than in the past. It may be the fact that autism is simply more identifiable than in the past. However, there may be an actual increased occurrence of the disorders due to other factors that are yet to be found.

A surprising 70% of children diagnosed with an autism disorder showed signs of developmental issues before the age of 3. Most of those even showed signs before age 2. Parents are definitely much more aware of the possibility and are bringing such concerns to the attention of professionals earlier and earlier with the hopes of help. Autism however, is typically diagnosed at about age 4 and a half on average.

20 years ago autism had a diagnosis rate of 1 out of 5000 children. Now the numbers are 1 in 110, when gender differences are not taken into consideration. Because of this large increase, advocacy groups and others are calling for increased federal government spending on Autism research and treatment options. The CDC has deemed autism spectrum disorders to be a significant issue in terms of public health. According to Tom Carolan of BestHealthCareRates.com, "More attention and input is needed to help those with ASDs and more funding is needed to understand the disorders."

The American Academy of Pediatrics is also concerned with the rise in autism rates. They presently recommend screening children routinely at the ages of 18 months and 2 years, regardless of whether or not parents exhibit concern. Regular visits to a pediatrician are the first step in diagnosing and getting help with autism.

By carrying a good comprehensive family health insurance plan, access to pediatricians and other specialists is facilitated. BestHealthCareRates.com can help you find the right edical insurance for you and your family. Says Tom Carolan, Director of Client Services, "Get a policy in place now, so that if someone in your family receives an autism diagnosis down the road, you will have peace of mind regarding their care."

For additional information, Contact: BestHealthcareRates.com, at 877-812-5111 or online at http://www.BestHealthcareRates.com .

BestHealthcareRates.com has been helping individuals and families find the absolute best and most affordable medical insurance plans since 2001. Their dedication to staying on top of what is vital to the healthcare industry is reflected in the high quality service they provide to those looking for affordable family medical insurance .