It seems that there is an increasing trend in autism cases. Apparently, over the past 20 years in the United States, autism cases have increased about 300%. Recently, the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) criteria and definition has been broadened. This meant that many more patients who were not previously considered autistic and diagnosed with different disorders, were now considered to be under the large “autism” spectrum. They replaced specific diagnoses with a single broad term: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Source: The Star February 19, 2026 03:32 UTC