1 in 31 Prevalence: The Epidemic Continues

We present our fourth interview in this series with a deep sense of urgency. Dr. Walter Zahorodny, a leading expert on autism prevalence, joins us to discuss the alarming findings of the April 2025 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report reveals that 1 in 31 U.S. children has now been diagnosed with autism—a staggering increase of over 348% since the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network began tracking data in 2000. This is not a trend that can be ignored. It is a public health crisis, and we must confront the growing needs of this community with the seriousness and action it demands.

Dr. Zahorodny, the principal investigator of the CDC ADDM Network, brings nearly three decades of expertise in autism prevalence and diagnostic trends to this new interview.

We are thankful for Dr. Zahorodny’s important work and will continue to share updates with every new ADDM prevalence report. The next report is anticipated in March or April 2027.

In this interview, we discussed the different levels of the autism diagnosis criteria.

The CDC isn’t the only source reporting a dramatic rise in autism rates. Similar increases are evident in data from California’s Department of Developmental Services and among children enrolled in school. It’s also important to recognize that some children with autism are not able to attend school, meaning the true prevalence may be even higher.

A key concern in the new ADDM report is the growing proportion of individuals with higher support needs. Rather than reflecting an increase in diagnoses of those with milder presentations, the data indicates a significant rise over time in the number of individuals requiring more intensive support.

We will continue to share the autism facts and updates. There is no time for excuses. It is time for additional support, services, treatments, and prevention strategies to help individuals and families living with autism.