Autism has become a growing topic in the United States, but do you know the 10 countries with the highest autism rates in the world in 2017?
If you don’t know anything about autism at this point, you’ve probably been living under a rock. Autism is a medical condition that results in a range of challenges related to communication, social skills, and other behaviors. While many people believe vaccines cause autism, there is not one cause for the condition. Researchers believe it is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors instead. This article on 10 Autism Facts and Statistics, Autism Rates in Amish Counties that Don’t Vaccinate, will give you some more insight on these topics.
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Like many diseases and medical conditions, autism does not discriminate, and it affects people all over the world. There’s not really any research that links to countries with no autism. Interestingly, some countries have much lower rates of autism than others. For some of the lowest autism rates in the world, take a look at our list of developed countries with the lowest autism rates. On the other hand, you can also check out the countries with the highest rates of autism in the world in 2015, to see how it compares to today’s rates. Even in the United States, autism rates by state vary depending on where you are. According to our research, Japan autism rates surpass that of any country and we’ll dive more into autism in Japan later in our list.
While there is no cure for autism, therapy for behavior, development, and learning are the most effective treatments. To find out more about autism statistics worldwide 2017, we went to Statista and Google as our sources. The list is ranked by the number of children with autism per 10,000 children studied. It is the result of an almost accurate study because, as we mentioned, autism is complex, and it is on a case to case basis. The date released for the survey conducted in each country varies, which means it is their latest published documentation.
Let’s take a look at the countries with the highest autism rates in the world in 2017.
10. Portugal
9.2 per 10,000 children
School-aged children were assessed where a laboratory investigation and clinical history were performed to find this rate. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale were used during the assessment. The rate of mitochondrial respiratory chain disorders was unexpectedly high.
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9. Hong Kong
17 per 10,000 children
The non-profit, Rainbow Project Learning Centre in Hong Kong offers a therapeutic and special education services to children with autism. The government encourages that children with autism must be integrated into regular schools, but these children need the proper training before they go to an ordinary school.
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8. Brazil
27 per 10,000 children
The community health workers and general practitioner’s expertise in autism are not quite that sharp. The government assists the children in Brazil with autism, but the parents remain unsatisfied due to lack of access to social support and health services. Thorough research is needed to gain more understanding and knowledge about autism.
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7. Australia
45 per 10,000 children
The number of people with autism in Australia that ranks 7th in our list of countries with the highest autism rates in the world in 2017 is showing enormous growth. Allowances are granted by the government to aid the families with children diagnosed with formal autism, however, a steady increase of numbers claiming the aid is being seen.
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6. Canada
65 per 10,000 children
The Canadian government has set up a budget covering autism research, diagnosis, treatment and much more. It is a good start, but more is needed primarily for educational and health services. According to Autism Speaks Canada, the disorder is the “fastest growing and most commonly diagnosed neurological disorder” in the country.
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5. United States
66 per 10,000 children
On the fifth spot of our list of 10 countries with the highest autism rates in the world in 2017 is the United States. The annual cost for children with ASD is around $11.5 billion to $60.9 billion which covers special education, medical care, and even lost parental productivity.
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4. Denmark
68 per 10,000 children
Knowledge and activity in Denmark regarding autism has come a long way. However, there are still challenges ahead for people with autism in schools and workplaces. One step at a time is taken by the government to assist their citizens who battle autism.
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3. Sweden
72 per 10,000 children
Intensive research has been done in Sweden regarding autism, but there still loopholes that remain unanswered. They wanted to know how autism is developed in the first year of life. The study may be able to lead into a knowledge of the different social and non-social functions of children with ASD.
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2. United Kingdom
94 per 10,000 children
You can never tell if a person has autism with just a look. Like other countries on our list, the United Kingdom is also dealing with a rise in autism rates. The actual cause of autism is still what they could not grasp. On the plans of their improvement are diagnostic facilities, skills, and knowledge.
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1. Japan
162 per 10,000 children
To finish off our list of 10 countries with the highest autism rates in the world in 2017, we have Japan. The MMR vaccine is what they are eyeing as the cause of the autism cases they have. They may also rule this out if they find a proof that autism already existed in Japanese children before the MMR vaccine. Their research about ASD is still an ongoing process though.
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