New data from the Minnesota-Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (MN-ADDM) at the University of Minnesota shows that 1 in 28 (3.6 percent) 8-year-old children in Minnesota have autism. The findings are based on 2022 data from 17,331 children in parts of Anoka, Hennepin, and Ramsey counties.

Minnesota is part of a 16-state network funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC found that, on average, 1 in 31 (3.2 percent) children were identified as having autism in communities where prevalence was tracked by the ADDM Network in 2022, an increase from 1 in 36 in 2020. This estimate is based on 8-year-old children living in parts of 16 states and does not represent the entire population of children in the United States.

“These latest autism prevalence numbers show that we are identifying more children with autism in our communities than ever before,” said Dr. Jennifer Hall-Lande, co-principal investigator for the Minnesota project. “Behind every data point is a real child and a real family. What matters most is making sure they have access to the support and services they need to thrive.”

This project does not examine what causes autism. The focus is on providing data and training that helps policymakers, educators, communities, providers, families and individuals make informed decisions and support children with autism and their families.

Read more about the MN-ADDM report here. For more information on the MN-ADDM Network, visit addm.umn.edu. To access the CDC’s nationwide ADDM Network studies, visit cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/addm-community-report/.

Source: Institute on Community Integration University of Minnesota