Today the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported their latest findings about the incidence of autism in the US. For four-year-olds, in 2018, this was 1 in 52. Now, from 2022, the incidence is 1 in 31. Their full report can be accessed by clicking here.

This is a 70% increase in the incidence of autism over four years. Part of the explanation for this increase is improved awareness and diagnosis. But this can only be a contributing factor. This increase parallels the increase in autoimmune diseases in general.

In 2023, Dr. Fredrick Miller, of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) published a review summarizing the increase in autoimmune disorders in the general population. His graph illustrates this point dramatically—see below. The incidence of type I diabetes mellitus has more than doubled as has the incidence of celiac disease. The incidence of inflammatory bowel diseases has increased 46% and multiple sclerosis 50%. Dr. Miller’s full report can be accessed by clicking here.

Overall, the incidence of all autoimmune diseases is increasing at a rate of between 3 and 12% per year. This pattern is evident internationally.

The increase in autoimmue diseases affects children and adolescents more than adults. An example of this is the prevalence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA), the most common biomarker of autoimmunity. In the general population this nearly doubled between 1988-2012. However, the prevalence of ANA among adolescents increased nearly 300%.

The increase in autism parallels the increase in autoimmune diseases. This strongly suggests that most autistic children have an underlying autoimmune, anti-central nervous system disease. Those children who have suffered autistic regression will almost certainly have had such an autoimmune process take place—and these children account for more than a third of all autistics.

My own investigations and treatments in this area were conducted several decades ago and can be reviewed by clicking here. One clinical result was particularly stunning. Most regrettably this has been ignored.

To understand the causes of autism, and to explore treatments, research into this area needs to be energetically resumed.