1 in 36 kids are diagnosed with autism. What’s behind the increase?

Autism rates rose again between 2018 and 2020, the most recent year data is available, up from 1 in 44 children to 1 in 36.

Many factors are likely to contribute to these rising rates, including that diagnoses among children of color have been catching up to – and are now passing – white children.

With conditions that require a complicated diagnostic process, it’s typical for less advantaged children to lag behind, so the increase suggests more children of color are now getting the help they need, said Andy Shih, chief science officer of Autism Speaks, an advocacy group.