Why Autism Rates Are Rising?
The autism rate in the U.S. has risen from 1 in 150 to 1 in 31 over the past two decades. But the story behind that number is far more nuanced than the headlines suggest. In this conversation, we walk through the history of autism in the DSM, the systemic shifts driving increased recognition, and why “epidemic” framing misses the point. This video is for Autistic adults, late-diagnosed people, clinicians, parents, and anyone who has been asked “why is autism on the rise?” and wanted a deeper, more grounded answer to offer.
In this video, we explore:
→ Why the rise from 1 in 150 to 1 in 31 is not an “autism epidemic”
→ The history of autism in the DSM, from childhood schizophrenia to spectrum
→ How diagnostic criteria broadened dramatically across DSM-III, IV, and 5
→ Clinician barriers: awareness, knowledge, confidence, and comfort
→ Myths clinicians still believe about who can diagnose autism
→ Diagnostic overshadowing and why autism gets missed
→ The role of screening policies, education shifts, and insurance changes
→ Better recognition of Autistic women, BIPOC individuals, and late-diagnosed adults
→ Whether true prevalence could also be increasing
Want to learn more from Dr. Donna Henderson?
Book: Is This Autism?
Trainings & Learning Opportunities:
Is This Autism? — Clinical Version
Is This Autism? — For Everyone Else
You can also check out some of Donna’s recent guest interviews on various podcasts — she’s shared such rich conversations there too.
