What’s Behind the Sudden Surge in Autism?

The stark rise in autism rates in the US is difficult to ignore, but what's driving the increase remains a mystery. Could these factors be contributing to it?

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Data suggest that 1 in 30, or 3.49%, of children ages 3 to 17 were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in 2020

• The rate of autism in lower-income families is higher than in higher-income families, and lower-income families tend to have higher vaccination rates than higher-income families

• In 2010, the federal vaccine court conced…