The first-ever National Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) report was released by the Public Health Agency of Canada on Friday.
The report states that one in 66 children in Canada aged five to 17 years was diagnosed with ASD in 2015.
According to the organization, Autism Speaks Canada, this number is a call for services step forward and provide support for families.
The report was released just days before World Autism Day, on April 2, which is also the beginning of Autism Awareness Week.
The report breaks down information for each gender in each province and territory.
Because of this, the prevalence of ASD varies in different regions of the country.
It was also found to be more common for males to have ASD than females.
For every one female with ASD, there were five males with ASD.
Canada's rate is similar to the United States, even though the U.S. uses a different method for its estimations.
By understanding the frequency of a disorder, health care providers and policymakers are able to hone in on specific programs to help meet the immediate needs.
Researchers are also looking at extending the surveillance to children less than five years of age, as well as into adult populations.
Beyond the publishing of the NASS 2018 Report, Canada will continue to release findings and data as it becomes available.
ASD is usually noticeable in childhood before the child turns two years old. A person may struggle in communicating and in social situations. It's also common to repeat certain types of behaviour and he or she may show interest in a limited number of activities.
While the causes of ASD remain unknown, researchers are currently focusing learning more about certain influencing factors, such as genetics or inherited traits, brain growth at certain times, exposure to things in the environment and the body's ability to fight viruses and bacteria.
So far, research has determined that ASD is not contagious, or caused by vaccination or a certain parenting style.
For more information on signs and symptoms, visit Canada Public Health.
Go to the following link for the NASS 2018 Report.
For more information on Autism Awareness Day, go to Autism Speaks.
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