1 in 88 US kids have autism, CDC reports The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 1 in 88 U.S. children has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The figure, based on 2008 estimates from 14 monitoring sites around the country, represents a 23 percent increase over 2006 estimates. According to federal health officials, improved screening and treatment is likely responsible for some of this increase, but exactly how much remains unclear. Autism is a developmental disability that causes repetitive behavior and difficulty with communication and social interaction. Because the severity of these symptoms varies from person to person, diagnosis has changed over time. While researchers continue their efforts to identify risk factors for autism, therapies are improving and are most effective when applied early. So, public health officials say it's important for parents with concerns over a child's development to act quickly and contact their pediatrician and school system for an assessment. The study, published today in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, also found wide variation by sex. It found ASDs are nearly five times more common among boys than girls, with approximately 1 in 54 boys diagnosed and 1 in 252 girls.