The public hears a lot more about autism in recent years compared to earlier decades. Is it more awareness of the condition or actual increases in diagnosis? If the latter, this may explain the increase.
Actual increase in the diagnosis. I can tell you this from the aspect of a school nurse...over 2 decades. Significant increase! I’ve long thought that birth control agents also contributed, but this is even worse...a curse from God for using these fetal cells in such a way, instead of giving the fetus a proper burial. This is beyond disgusting, and an outright blasphemous practice.
” Is it more awareness of the condition or actual increases in diagnosis?”
Should be easy to show all the 50, 60, 70 and 80 year old autistic people, if it is just an awareness issue. They don’t disappear when undiagnosed. It appears there are far, far more today.