Scientific Narratives in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased in prevalence in the United States from one in 10 000 in the 1950s to one in 88 today. And in South Korea, the prevalence is now one in 44.(1) If the current rate of increase in the incidence of ASD continues, it could become the norm in children in 30 years. Scientific research continues to reveal potential connections between ASD and the gut microbiome or cancer gene mutations. It occurs in all socioeconomic and ethnic groups and is almost five times more common in boys than in girls. The costs to families and society is high—Medicaid costs for children with ASD are almost five times higher than for children without a diagnosis of ASD. And these costs do not begin to include those of intensive behavioral intervention.(2) Why is the prevalence of this condition increasing, and can a systems-oriented approach be used to resolve this pressing health challenge?