Minnesota: Autism statistics in Somali community sparks investigation [View All]

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Autism statistics alarm Somalis

A cluster of affected kids has sparked an investigation in Minnesota. Health officials are puzzled by the data. By MAURA LERNER, Star Tribune August 24, 2008

As an educator, Anne Harrington had her suspicions. As a pediatrician, Dr. Dan McLellan also had his.
Both noticed an unusual number of Somali children turning up in their autism programs in Minneapolis and began to wonder why.

Now that question has captured the attention of state and federal health officials, as fears about a possible surge in autism have swept Minnesota's Somali community.

...In Minneapolis, fears have been fueled by some puzzling statistics. Last year, Somali children made up just under 6 percent of the school population, but 17 percent of those in the early childhood autism programs (14 of 81 children). The numbers have been creeping up for several years, especially among young children.

"People are worried," said Saeed Fahia, who heads a Somali community group. "Nobody remembers any autistic children in Somalia. I'm sure there must have been some, but there were not that many."

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