The prevalence of autism has increased in recent years, largely due to:

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The prevalence of autism has increased in recent years due to the broadening of the diagnostic criteria. This means that more children are being diagnosed with autism who would have previously been considered "borderline" or undiagnosed. Other factors such as universal screening and increased awareness may also contribute to the increase, but the broadening of diagnostic criteria is the primary reason. There is no scientific evidence to support the belief that preservatives in childhood vaccines or pressure from schools to diagnose unruly children are causal factors in the increase in autism prevalence.

The Prevalence of Autism Has Increased in Recent Years, Largely