27-03-2012 22:28 http://www.ctvvancouverisland.ca http UVIC -- A popular professor at the University of Victoria is leaving his job and the country after his son's medical condition lead to immigration problems. In 2010 Dr. Jeffrey Niehaus' son was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. His family was working to become Canadian citizens but the boy's health condition proved to be a roadblock. In a letter from Immigration Canada, an officer told Dr. Niehaus his son was, "a person whose health condition might reasonably be expected to cause excessive demand on health or social services in Canada". As a result, his application for permanent residency was denied. The University of Victoria hired a lawyer to appeal the decision but the effort fell short. In preparation of his work Visa expiring in November, Dr. Niehaus applied for jobs and accepted a position in Virginia. Despite wanting to keep the story from media, Dr. Niehaus says his family has made up its mind and is leaving. It's why he is now content telling his story: "I'm much more comfortable with the idea that our story would be an example for people interested in how their own government works. People could use this as perhaps a way to have some positive influence going forward". Dr. Niehaus says he's not angry. In November he plans to take his family back to the United States where they will live permanently. Follow Joe Perkins on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com

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Son's Autism Forces Family to Leave Canada - Video

27-03-2012 22:28 http://www.ctvvancouverisland.ca http UVIC -- A popular professor at the University of Victoria is leaving his job and the country after his son's medical condition lead to immigration problems. In 2010 Dr. Jeffrey Niehaus' son was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. His family was working to become Canadian citizens but the boy's health condition proved to be a roadblock. In a letter from Immigration Canada, an officer told Dr. Niehaus his son was, "a person whose health condition might reasonably be expected to cause excessive demand on health or social services in Canada". As a result, his application for permanent residency was denied. The University of Victoria hired a lawyer to appeal the decision but the effort fell short. In preparation of his work Visa expiring in November, Dr. Niehaus applied for jobs and accepted a position in Virginia. Despite wanting to keep the story from media, Dr. Niehaus says his family has made up its mind and is leaving. It's why he is now content telling his story: "I'm much more comfortable with the idea that our story would be an example for people interested in how their own government works. People could use this as perhaps a way to have some positive influence going forward". Dr. Niehaus says he's not angry. In November he plans to take his family back to the United States where they will live permanently. Follow Joe Perkins on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com

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Son's Autism Forces Family to Leave Canada - Video

ATLANTA Autism cases are on the rise again, largely due to wider screening and better diagnosis, federal health officials said Thursday.

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Where's the one place you should never kiss a baby -- or anyone else? The ear, according to a professor of audiology at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.

The rate of U.S. cases of autism and related disorders rose to about 1 in 88 children. The previous estimate was 1 in 110.

The new figure is from the latest in a series of studies that have been steadily increasing the government's autism estimate. This new number means autism is nearly twice as common as officials said it was only five years ago, and likely affects roughly 1 million U.S. children and teens.

Health officials attribute the increase largely to better recognition of cases, through wide screening and better diagnosis. But the search for the cause of autism is really only beginning, and officials acknowledge that other factors may be helping to drive up the numbers.

"We're not quite sure the reasons for the increase," said Coleen Boyle of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Autism is diagnosed by making judgments about a child's behavior; there are no blood or biologic tests. For decades, the diagnosis was given only to kids with severe language and social impairments and unusual, repetitious behaviors. The definition of autism has gradually expanded, and "autism" is now shorthand for a group of milder, related conditions, including Asperger's syndrome. Meanwhile, there's been an explosion in autism-related treatment and services for children.

As in the past, advocacy groups seized on the new numbers as further evidence that autism research and services should get greater emphasis. The new figures indicate "a public health emergency that demands immediate attention," said Geraldine Dawson, chief science officer for the advocacy group Autism Speaks.

The CDC study released Thursday is considered the most comprehensive U.S. investigation of autism prevalence to date. Researcher gathered data from areas in 14 states Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah and Wisconsin.

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Diagnosis, screening behind rise in autism

The number of autism cases in the United States has reached one in every 88 children, the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports. This is a 78 percent rise from ten years ago.

Autism is a developmental disorder that manifests itself in many ways. It is typically diagnosed in children between the ages of one and eight. Symptoms often -- but not always -- include slow language development, persistent fixations and difficulties with social interactions.

In part, the sharp increase in autism cases is due to the fact that awareness has grown, leading to more correct diagnoses. But it may also reflect an actual increase in the number of people affected by the disorder. "We're not quite sure the reasons for the increase," Coleen Boyle of the CDC, said to the Associated Press.

More research will determine what's really behind the data -- in the meantime, autism awareness advocacy groups are taking this opportunity to call attention to the disorder's prevalence in society.

"The CDC numbers are alarming, yet they don't begin to tell the story of the real families, real individuals struggling every day," said Mark Roithmayr, president of Autism Speaks, in a statement on the organization's website.

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Here are five facts about autism that shed light on the new research.

Diagnoses are not evenly spread across the board.

Autism is much more common in boys than in girls; a full five times as many males are affected by the disorder. In addition, certain states seem to have a preponderance of autism cases. The CDC study found that just one in 210 children in Alabama were affected, as opposed to 1 in 47 in Utah. And the biggest growth in diagnoses over the last few years was among black and Hispanic children. Of course, this may not suggest an actual difference between ethnicities or locations; it could be due instead to changes in medical practices in certain communities over the years.

The word 'autism' can mean many things.

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Autism On The Rise: 5 Key Facts About The New Research

Charly Franklin / Getty Images

Autism rates continue to rise, according to a new government survey, but the skyrocketing figures dont necessarily mean the disorder is increasing.

According to the latest estimate, released on Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 88 children in the U.S. has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) a nearly 25% increase from 2006, when the rate was 1 in 110, and a stunning 78% increase since 200002, when the CDC first began tracking the disorder and estimated the rate at 1 in 150 children.

(VIDEO: How Ballet Can Help Kids with Autism)

Much of the surge, experts acknowledge, may be due to better diagnosis, wider awareness and broader definitions of autism. Autism used to be diagnosed only in children with severe language and social problems and repetitive behaviors, but several years ago, researchers expanded the criteria for diagnosis to also include autism spectrum disorders a wider range of developmental conditions associated with autism. These conditions include Aspergers syndrome, which describes children who are high functioning but exhibit milder symptoms of social impairment or learning problems, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), a diagnosis that is easier to get.

Greater awareness of autism by parents, doctors and school administrators, along with a growing push to help all affected children learn and socialize, may also be fueling the uptick. Doctors have gotten better at diagnosing the condition, and communities have gotten better at providing services for those affected by autism, Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC, told reporters in a conference call. At this point, I think its a possibility that the increase in identification of autism is entirely the result of better detection. We dont know whether or not that is the case, but it is a possibility.

Mark Roithmayr, president of Autism Speaks, an autism research and advocacy group, concedes that such factors may figure into the swelling of cases but argues that they likely account for only about half the increase. Only part of the increase can be explained by better and broader diagnoses, he said on the same call. There is a great unknown. Something is going on here, and we dont know.

(MORE: Environmental Factors May Be Just as Important as Genes in Autism)

The latest CDC numbers come from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, a comprehensive program covering 14 states, in which trained reviewers examine medical and school records of 8-year-olds for descriptions or diagnoses of autism or ASDs.

Tracking the prevalence of autism has always been controversial, and experts still cant agree on exactly how common the disorder is, since its definition continues to shift. The rate may drop again by years end, when a new definition of autism is slated to be included in the fifth revision of the standard manual for mental illness, the DSM-V; the updated definition is expected to focus more exclusively on core autism cases and exclude Aspergers and PDD-NOS, which a growing number of experts believe to be distinct from true autism. The current CDC analysis did not break down ASD diagnoses by subtype.

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Autism: More Kids than Ever Are Diagnosed, but Is the Increase Real?

ATLANTA (AP) -- Autism cases are on the rise again, largely due to wider screening and better diagnosis, federal health officials said Thursday.

The rate of U.S. cases of autism and related disorders rose to about 1 in 88 children. The previous estimate was 1 in 110.

The new figure is from the latest in a series of studies that have been steadily increasing the government's autism estimate. This new number means autism is nearly twice as common as officials said it was only five years ago, and likely affects roughly 1 million U.S. children and teens.

Health officials attribute the increase largely to better recognition of cases, through wide screening and better diagnosis. But the search for the cause of autism is really only beginning, and officials acknowledge that other factors may be helping to drive up the numbers.

"We're not quite sure the reasons for the increase," said Coleen Boyle of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Autism is diagnosed by making judgments about a child's behavior; there are no blood or biologic tests. For decades, the diagnosis was given only to kids with severe language and social impairments and unusual, repetitious behaviors. The definition of autism has gradually expanded, and "autism" is now shorthand for a group of milder, related conditions, including Asperger's syndrome. Meanwhile, there's been an explosion in autism-related treatment and services for children.

As in the past, advocacy groups seized on the new numbers as further evidence that autism research and services should get greater emphasis. The new figures indicate "a public health emergency that demands immediate attention," said Geraldine Dawson, chief science officer for the advocacy group Autism Speaks.

The CDC study released Thursday is considered the most comprehensive U.S. investigation of autism prevalence to date. Researcher gathered data from areas in 14 states Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah and Wisconsin.

They looked specifically at 8-year-old children because most autism is diagnosed by that age. They checked health and school records to see which children met the criteria for autism, even if they hadn't been formally diagnosed. Then, the researchers calculated how common autism was in each place and overall.

An earlier report based on 2002 findings estimated that about 1 in 150 children that age had autism or a related disorder such as Asperger's. After seeing 2006 data, the figure was revised to about 1 in 110. The estimate released Thursday, based on 2008 data, is 1 in 88.

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Autism rates up; screening, better diagnosis cited