Arkansas Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (AR ADDM)
Contents
- What is AR ADDM?
- What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
- Newest Data on Autism Prevalence
- What can we do with this information?
- Identified Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Arkansas – Year by Year
- What is AR ADDM doing currently?
- What services and support resources are available in Arkansas?
- For more information
- Who are our UAMS AR ADDM staff?
What is AR ADDM?
Arkansas Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (AR ADDM) is a program funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to estimate the number of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities living in Arkansas. AR ADDM uses surveillance methods modeled after CDC’s Metropolitan Atlanta Developmental Disabilities Surveillance Program (MADDSP). The program includes investigators with UAMS and operates in collaboration with the Arkansas Department of Health and the Arkansas Department of Education to track the number and characteristics of children with ASD.
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
CDC: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. See www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html
Latest Data on Autism Prevalence
About 1 in 34 Arkansas 8-year-old children or 3.0% were identified with autism by AR ADDM in 2022. This percentage is about the same as the average percentage (3.2%) identified in all 16 communities the CDC tracks. About 1 in 41 or 2.5% of 4-year-old children were identified with autism by AR ADDM in 2022. This percentage is lower than the overall percentage identified with autism (2.9%) in all communities where the CDC tracked autism among 4-year-olds in 2022.
These estimates are based on information collected from health and special education records of children living in 21 counties in central Arkansas in 2022.
UAMS Press Release: UAMS, CDC Find 3% of Arkansas 8-Year-Olds, 2.5% of 4-Year-Olds Diagnosed with Autism, April 15, 2025
What Can We Do With This Information?
AR ADDM’s latest findings can be used to:
- Illustrate how many children are identified with autism and when they are being identified,
- Continue to promote early identification of ASD (e.g., Learn the Signs. Act Early),
- Plan for autism services and training,
- Guide future ASD research
Identified Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Arkansas – Year by Year
Click the tracking year for Community Reports.
| Surveillance/ Tracking Year | Birth Year | Arkansas Coverage | Prevalence per 1,000 Children | This is about 1 in X Children… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 1994 | All 75 Counties Health & Education sources | 6.9 | 1 in 145 |
| 2008 | 2000 | One County Health & Education sources | 10.5 | 1 in 95 |
| 2010 | 2002 | All 75 counties Health & Education sources | 15.5 | 1 in 65 |
| 2012 | 2004 | 16 counties in central Arkansas Health sources only | 12.0 | 1 in 83 |
| 2014 | 2006 | All 75 counties Health & Education sources in 48 counties | 13.1 15.5* | 1 in 77 1 in 64* |
| 2016 | 2008 | All 75 counties Health & Education sources in 36 counties | 15.1 17.7* | 1 in 66 1 in 57* |
| 2018 | 2010 | 21 counties in central Arkansas Health & Education sources | 22.9 | 1 in 44 |
| 2018 | 2014 | 21 counties in central Arkansas Health & Education sources | 11.9 | 1 in 84 |
| 2020 | 2012 | 21 counties in central Arkansas Health & Education sources | 23.5 | 1 in 43 |
| 2020 | 2016 | 21 counties in central Arkansas Health & Education sources | 16.2 | 1 in 62 |
| 2022 | 2014 | 21 counties in central Arkansas Health & Education sources | 29.8 | 1 in 34 |
| 2022 | 2018 | 21 counties in central Arkansas Health & Education sources | 24.6 | 1 in 41 |
*Prevalence (2014 and 2016) was higher in the area where both health and education sources were reviewed.
What is AR ADDM Doing Currently?
AR ADDM continues tracking ASD for 2024 among 4- and 8-year-old children in 21 counties in central Arkansas. Arkansas is also tracking transition planning and co-occurring conditions among 16-year-old children with ASD.
What Services and Support Resources are Available in Arkansas?
- First Connections. Services for children under the age of 3 years with developmental delays or disabilities.
1-800-643-8258 https://dhs.arkansas.gov/dds/firstconnectionsweb/#fc-home - Department of Education’s Special Education Unit. Special education services for children with disabilities, ages 3 to 21.
1-800-482-8437 https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/offices/special-education - Arkansas Autism Resource and Outreach Center. Support, education, and advocacy for families of individuals with ASD.
1-800-342-2923 www.aaroc.org - Dennis Development Center (DDC) and Schmieding Development Center (SDC). Diagnostic multidisciplinary team evaluations for children presenting with developmental and behavioral concerns. Provides comprehensive developmental assessments of children from birth to 21 years of age.
DDC 501-364-1830
SDC 479-750-0125 - CDC’s Learn the Signs. Act Early.
Katie Clark, Arkansas’ Act Early Ambassador
katie@arkansasaap.org
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/index.html - Project Connect Resource Guide. Arkansas resources for families and professionals on child development and what to do if there is a concern.
https://cied.uark.edu/programs/special-education/pro-development-childrens/project-connect.php - Spotting Autism in Early Child Care Settings. Training for childcare providers on identifying children at risk for being diagnosed with autism, available through Healthy Child Care Arkansas.
www.healthychildcareAR.org - Community-Based Autism Liaison and Treatment (CoBALT) Project. Comprehensive diagnostic assessments, early intervention services, and family support.https://pediatrics.uams.edu/specialties/developmental-pediatrics/cobalt-program
- Arkansas Transition Services. Assists students with disabilities, educators, parents, agency personnel and community members in preparing students to transition from school to adult life and reach positive post-school outcomes.
www.arkansastransition.com
For More Information
- CDC Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network
- CDC Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Homepage
Who Are Our UAMS AR ADDM staff?
Principal Investigator: Maya Lopez, M.D.
Project Coordinator/Co-Investigator: Allison E. Hudson, CRS
Assistant Project Coordinator/Lead Abstractor: Yvette D. Schwenk, M.S., LPE-I
Abstractors: Stefanie L. Jernigan, Sandra K. Walker, J. Michelle Cantrell-Kelley
AR ADDM is committed to the highest standards of confidentiality and data security. Information that could potentially identify individuals is not included in any results reports or presentations.