Orange County’s autism rate is among the highest in the country, according to the findings of a university study sponsored by Chapman’s Thompson Policy Institute presented at the DisAbility Summit May 3 in the Musco Center for the Arts.

One in 50 people in Orange County have autism, up from one in 150 in 2000, the study found. However, the increase does not indicate a rise in the disability itself, but rather an increase in more specific diagnoses, said Don Cardinal, a professor at Chapman and former dean of the College of Educational Studies.

Researchers discovered that children and adults once labeled as having Specific Learning Disability, a diagnosis used to describe those who struggle understanding language, speaking or performing mathematical calculations, are now being diagnosed with autism.

A phenomenon called “diagnostic migration,” explains the fast and exponential rise of autism diagnoses, without feeding the hysteria associated with autism in the 21st century.

Cardinal was quick to rule out vaccines, environmental factors and even the age of parents as contributing factors to the rise of autism diagnoses, citing extensive research that the Thompson Policy Institute had done. He also emphasized that the focus of the summit was to discover the reasons behind a recent boom in autism, especially in Orange County, not to uncover its causes.

“There is a difference between the cause of autism, and the cause of the rise of autism,” Cardinal said. “If you came here to understand what the cause of autism is – wrong presentation. But if you want to learn what’s accounting for this rapid rise – for that we have some answers.”

Although the rise of autism in the U.S. is not actually increasing the part of the population with disabilities, Cardinal stressed the need for more funding for special education in schools.

“There are no new people in special (education),” Cardinal said. “We don’t convert people without disabilities into people with disabilities (when they are diagnosed with autism). Schools haven’t been given enough money, and autism programs are expensive. There aren’t a bunch of bad guys sitting around creating this system. We created it.”

The percentage of special education students with autism in Orange County was 18.7 percent in 2015, a drastic rise from 2.6 percent in 2000.

Amy-Jane Griffiths, an assistant professor at Chapman and clinical psychologist, also spoke on the support needed for those with autism, but her advocacy extended beyond the classroom.

“Adults with autism have very low rates of employment,” Griffiths said. “One thing that we hear a lot is, ‘I need a livable wage.’”

It can be difficult for young adults with autism to navigate the nuanced social environments of workplaces and school environments, as well as maintain the necessary organization skills to be successful, Griffiths said.

Griffiths suggested that programs are needed to assimilate those with autism spectrum disorder into the workplace.

“We need to teach things in the moment, with real experiences,” Griffiths said.

Attendees were glad to see that the struggles of parents with children who have autism being represented on a large platform.

“To see that the university literally in our backyard is actually doing something is really exciting,” said Simran Garcia, a resident of Orange whose 14-year-old son has autism. “These guys are getting older, and they need help. It’s what keeps us up at night. We want them to have jobs, and pay taxes and be independent.”

Michelle Del Rosario, another attendee, has a son with autism who is nonverbal. Although he communicates well via his iPad, Del Rosario worries that there will not be enough accommodations necessary in school and the workplace to ensure his success.

“We’ve worked so hard to get him communicating and typing and accessing academics,” Del Rosario said. “When he gets to college, is that all going to shut off?”
Del Rosario said the research presented at the summit gave her hope for her son’s future.

“I think it’s exciting to see that there’s a lot of research with jobs out there,” she said. “(Employing people with autism) takes a lot of monitoring and a lot of communication. I’m glad they’re looking at it, but there’s still a lot of work to do.”