Autism No. 1 Disability Entering California’s Developmental Services System

State agency braces as it attempts to project impact of surging epidemic. [This report by Rick Rollens.]

Autism, once thought to be a rare disorder caused by a "refrigerator mother" and most recently thought to be a rare genetic disease, is now the number one disability entering California's developmental services system at an alarming and accelerated rate, surpassing mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and all other conditions similar to mental retardation.

Prior to the autism epidemic, autism had historically accounted for 3% of the intakes into California's developmental services system. Today, according to the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS), not including PDD, NOS, Asperger's, or any other autism spectrum disorder, autism accounts for an amazing 37% of new intakes.

According to figures recently released by DDS, California has experienced an all time record number of new cases for a second quarter reporting period in professionally diagnosed cases of level one autism, which again does not include any of the other autism spectrum disorders.

The addition of the 664 new children added to the system from April 3 to July 8, 2001 represents the largest number of new cases of autism added to the system during a second quarter reporting period in the 32 year history of California's developmental services system. The increase represents a 27% increase in the number of new children added to the system over the previous (April to July, 2000) second quarter reporting period. The most recent numbers continue the onslaught of children diagnosed with "full blown" autism and qualified for services in California at the incredible rate of seven (7) new children a day...seven day's a week.