A study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the overall prevalence of developmental disabilities among children increased by 17 percent between 1997 and 2008, with 15 percent of U.S. children - nearly 10 million - having a developmental disability in 2008. The study, "Trends in the Prevalence of Developmental Disabilities in US Children, 1997-2008," in the June 2011 issue of Pediatrics (published online May 23), analyzed data on children aged 3 to 17 years from a nationally representative sample of U.S. households. Parents were asked to report the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, autism, seizures, stuttering or stammering, moderate to profound hearing loss, blindness, learning disorders, and/or other developmental delays. Study authors found the prevalence of any developmental disability increased from 12.84 percent to 15.04 percent over the 12-year study period. Autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and other developmental delays increased, while moderate to profound hearing loss showed a significant decline. Boys had a higher prevalence overall and for a number of select disabilities compared with girls. Hispanic children had the lowest prevalence for a number of disabilities, and low-income families and families with public health insurance had a higher prevalence. Study authors suggest the findings have a direct bearing on the need for health, education and social services, including the need for more specialized health services.
