Although experts do not know the exact numbers, they believe that Asperger syndrome affects between 1 and 6 of every 1,000 children. Boys are three to four times as likely as girls to have Asperger syndrome.
Asperger syndrome is diagnosed mainly in children. However, lately, doctors have diagnosed the syndrome more frequently among adults who seek medical help for mental health conditions such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Scientists do not yet know how many adults have Asperger syndrome.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the government agency that studies how many people have autism and other diseases. Visit the CDC website for more information on how many people have an autism spectrum disorder.1,2,3,4
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2007). Prevalence of autism spectrum disorders-Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 14 sites, United States, 2008. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 56 (SS-1), 1-11. Retrieved June 21, 2012, from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss6103a1.htm [top]
- Fombonne, E., Zakarian, R., Bennett, A., Meng, L., & McLean-Heywood, D. (2006). Pervasive developmental disorders in Montreal, Quebec, Canada: prevalence and links with immunizations. Pediatrics, 118(1), e139-50 [top]
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2005). Asperger Syndrome Fact Sheet. Retrieved July 18, 2012, from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/asperger/detail_asperger.htm [top]
- Fombonne, E. (2001). What is the prevalence of Asperger disorder? Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 31(3), 363. [top]