An autism «epidemic» on Elba Island: Alarmism and misrecognition in ASD
Claudio Coscarella, Irene Folli, Amalia Prenzato, Letizia Machetti, Vito Michele Cornacchia, Ambra Bardazzi Panti, Alice Mastrofrancesco
The object of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on Elba Island. The incidence of ASD was calculated for children who were born in the years 2000-2004 and 2009-2013. The ASD diagnosis was verified by UFSMIA and subsequently confirmed by a university hospital. The prevalence of autism seems to be higher than in other studies and values change if different diagnostic criteria are used (DSM-5) and there is early diagnosis, and because of social changes and the evolution of nosological paradigms. The results of the estimates of incidence on births/years have been summarised in a reasoned pyramid of values. Diagnoses of ASD have drastically increased since the 2000s, partly due to the diagnostic practice of DSM-5, but the current exponential increase is not clear and university research is disoriented.
Keywords
Epidemiology of ASD, epidemic of ASD, ASD follow-up, ASD specificity.
