High autism rates among Somali children in Minnesota
August 25th, 2008From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:
School authorities in Minneapolis report that Somali children are being placed in autism-related programs at about twice the average rate for children in the district.
As of July, 3.6 percent of Somali students were enrolled in such programs. While Somali children made up just under 6 percent of the school population, they comprised 17 percent of those in the early childhood autism programs, and 25 percent of the class for severely autistic preschoolers.
Parents in the Somali community are worried, and health department officials are concerned that they may stop vaccinating their children over unproven fears that the shots might trigger autism. Experts say people with autism face stigma within the Somali community.
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