Trump's recent social media post suggests a significant rise in autism diagnoses but overlooks key context. Experts assert that the increased rates reflect improved diagnostic criteria and greater awareness rather than an actual epidemic. The notion that vaccines contribute to autism stems from a long-debunked study by Andrew Wakefield. Current CDC statistics indicate autism diagnoses have increased from 1 in 150 twenty years ago to about 1 in 36, a change that reflects medical advancements rather than a public health crisis. Peter Hotez emphasizes that broadening diagnostic practices have contributed significantly to these statistics.
"The way doctors diagnose autism has shifted through past decades, eventually broadening to autism spectrum disorder, which puts what were once separate diagnoses under the same label, Hotez said."
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