Big Jump In NJ's Autism Rates: Now Among Highest In America

NEW JERSEY — Autism rates continue to climb nationwide, and New Jersey leads in numbers of 8-year-old children with autism among the eleven states surveyed, according to a new study released by the CDC.

The study used research collected by Rutgers University researchers and found that autism rates have tripled in the Garden State since 2004, and looks like they will continue to climb. Since researchers first started collecting data, rates have risen steadily and have not dropped or tapered off.

One in 34 New Jersey children (three percent of all 8-year-olds) have autism, the study found. That's an increase of 19 percent from data released two years ago, when one in 41 New Jersey children had autism.

The news comes as a South Jersey mother is battling doctors to keep her autistic son on life support after suffering injuries in a fire. Read more: South Jersey Mom Gets To Maintain Life Support For Son For Now

In New Jersey, the current rate is much higher than the national rate of one in 59 (1.7 percent of all 8-year-olds). Maryland has the second highest rate of autism, at one in 55.

"Three percent is a sobering number. It is imperative that public funding keep pace with the increased prevalence rates and ensure access to treatment for all individuals with autism. We are encouraged by Governor Murphy’s budget proposal that increases funding for services for children with autism," Autism New Jersey said in a statement. "This is wise investment because funding for children’s services both reduces the psychological and financial burden on families and reduces the costs of long-term care for families and the state."

Researchers caution that high rates don't necessarily mean more children with autism live in New Jersey. Instead, the data could mean that children with autism are more likely to be diagnosed if they live here, but there's not enough information to know for sure.

“Other states could be underestimating the rate of autism,” Walter Zahorodny, an associate professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and the lead investigator on the study, said.

The study also found that autism rates are the same among different ethnic groups, the first time there was no racial disparity in diagnosis rates. Researchers believe public awareness about autism is behind that change.

Nationwide, boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed than girls, compared to New Jersey, in which boys are 3.7 more likely diagnosed than girls, meaning doctors in NJ diagnose more girls compared with the national average.

Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability that can cause "significant social, communication and behavioral challenges," the CDC says. Those with autism might "communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged."

There is no medical test for autism; instead, it is diagnosed based on behavioral traits. Most people with autism are diagnosed as children, but some may be diagnosed as adults.

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