According to the CDC, one in 88 children have been identified as having an autism spectrum disorder.
The statistic rates used to be one in 150 – so how did we get these new numbers? Dr. Rober Melillo, co-founder of the Brain Balance Achievement Centers, spoke with Dr. Manny Alvarez, senior managing health editor for FoxNews.com, about the science behind autism, as well the facts and myths surrounding the condition.
Melillo said that while the current numbers are staggering, it’s quite possible the rates are even higher.
“It’s an epidemic at this point, and we are seeing significant increases, which means that the only way you can explain it is through environmental factors,” Melillo said. “There is no such thing as a genetic epidemic; it takes a lot longer for genes to cause this type of rise.”
However, Melillo does believe that autism is often a result of environmental factors combined with genetic predisposition. The most potent lifestyle factors are diet and exercise and inflammation in the body.
