The Results of a New Autism Study Surprised Experts in This State
A new study shows that the number of children with autism in Nebraska is much lower than the national average.
The results, which surprised local experts, show that doctors diagnose one in 128 children in Nebraska with autism, KETV News reported. The national average is one in 68 children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and in New Jersey, the state with the highest rate of autism, the rate is one in 45 children, and 1 in 28 boys.
The study was conducted by Autism Action Partnership who teamed up with researchers at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
Dave Pantos, the Autism Action Partnership program director, thinks that there are a few reasons for the relatively low rate, including difficulties in diagnosing the disorder, under reporting of it because of a lack of insurance coverage and families with children on the spectrum leaving the state because of lack of services there, KETV News reported.
Experts expect the numbers to go up in the future, but say that understanding how many people in the state are on the spectrum and where they’re located may be an important step in helping the state to have a better understanding of autism.
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Melissa McGlensey is the former News Editor at The Mighty. Her writing can also be seen in Ms. Magazine, on the Ms.Magazine blog and in The Huffington Post’s Good News, Comedy and Impact sections. Melissa is also a New York City comedian who does sketch, improv and stand up. She is passionate about social justice, politics, Thai food, literature, disability rights and more. She is currently in a long-distance relationship with her cat, Sneakers, who lives in California. You can follow her on twitter at @OhHeyMeliss.
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