`` Early detection is associated with better outcomes , '' says CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden . One in 88 U.S. kids thought to be autistic , CDC says ; for boys it 's 1 in 54 . Why ? Better , broader diagnosis , better awareness , and `` 50 % of 'We do n't know , '' expert says . Advocate : There is an epidemic of autism in the United States . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are now about one million children with autism.
One in 88 U.S. kids thought to be autistic , CDC says ; for boys it 's 1 in 54 . Why ? Better , broader diagnosis , better awareness , and `` 50 % of 'We do n't know , '' expert says . Advocate : There is an epidemic of autism in the United States . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are now about one million children with autism.