One in 150 children suffers from autism disorders in the U.S.(file Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Autism disorders affect one in 150 children in the U.S., much higher than previous estimates, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday.

    Earlier estimates placed the rate at 1 in 166 children. But Catherine Rice, lead author on the new surveillance from CDC said the previous estimates were based on a variety of studies, most of them smaller than these latest ones, involving different study methods from several countries.

    The difference means roughly 50,000 more children and young adults may have autism and related disorders than was previously thought - a total nationwide of more than half a million people.

    "Autism is more common than we believed and is an urgent public health concern," said Rice.

    Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout a person's lifetime. It is part of a group of disorders known as Autism Spectrum Disorders. Autism impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. It affects four to five times more boys than girls.

    Children having autism generally have difficulty relating to others; they may hardly speak, and if they do, they may not communicate in ways that other people can easily understand (they may screech loudly when they're upset, for example, instead of crying).