AUTISM in children in Northern Ireland has more than doubled in a decade, according to new figures.
Statistics released yesterday by the Department of Health shows that the number of children with autism has been growing over the past 10 years.
The figures show that the "estimated prevalence of autism within the school aged population" in the north has increased from 1.2 per cent in 2008/09 to 2.9 per cent in 2017/18.
The statistics are contained in the department's publication, 'The Prevalence of Autism (including Asperger's Syndrome) in School age Children in Northern Ireland 2018'.
It said that the figures had been taken from the Northern Ireland school census collected by the Department of Education.
Just last year, it was revealed that teachers are demanding more training to cope with growing numbers of children with autism. The Ulster Teachers' Union (UTU) said pupils were still not getting the support to which they were statutorily entitled.
The statistics revealed yesterday by the department also reveal that boys are almost four times more likely to be identified with autism than females, which is "in line with international findings".
While the estimated prevalence of autism had increased across all school years, the greatest rise in the number of children identified with the condition occurred in those in Year 9 (aged 13 years).
The department also said there been "significant higher prevalence rate" in urban areas compared with those in the rural population.
