A study said autism rates are rising. Here's what it actually measured.
Better identification does most of the work in that headline. We show you where to look in the paper.
The figure everyone quoted was the change from 1 in 36 to 1 in 31. What the paper describes is a change in identification — who gets assessed, at what age, and under which criteria.
That distinction matters because ‘rising rates’ invites disease framing, and disease framing produces bad policy and worse advice for families.
If you want to check this yourself, look for the section on ascertainment. It is usually two paragraphs and it usually explains most of the change.
The settled version of this
Genetic testing, explained without the jargon
Our reference page — kept up to date, sourced, and written for parents.