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WHAT IS AUTISM?
Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first 3 years of life and affects a person’s ability to communicate & interact with others. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a "spectrum disorder" that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. There is no known single cause for autism, but increased awareness and funding can help families today.
2007 REPORT...Prevalence and Cost of Autism
In February 2007, the CDC issued their ADDME autism prevalence report. The report, which looked at a sample of 8 year olds in 2000 and 2002, concluded that the prevalence of autism had risen to 1 in every 150 American children, and almost 1 in 94 boys. This report caused a media uproar but was not a surprise to the 1.5 million Americans living with the effects of autism spectrum disorder. Nonetheless, the spotlight shown on autism as a result of the report opens opportunities for the nation to consider how to serve these families facing a lifetime of supports for their children.
Current estimates for the lifetime cost of caring for a child with autism range from $3.5 million to $5 million, and the United States is facing almost $90 billion annually in costs for autism (including research, insurance costs and non-covered expenses, Medicaid waivers for autism, educational spending, housing, transportation, employment, in addition to related therapeutic services and caregiver costs).
Autism is treatable. Children do not "outgrow" autism, but studies show that early diagnosis and intervention lead to significantly improved outcomes.
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Signs to look for in the children in your life:
- Lack of or delay in spoken language
- Repetitive use of language and/or motor mannerisms (e.g., hand-flapping, twirling objects)
- Little or no eye contact
- Lack of interest in peer relationships
- Lack of spontaneous or make-believe play
- Persistent fixation on parts of objects
Know the Signs…
Early Identification Can Change Lives
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2009 UPDATE...Autism Becoming More Prevalent
A new study published October 5, 2009 in the American Academy of Pediatrics' journal Pediatrics found a parent-reported autism prevalence rate of one in every 91 American children, including one in 58 boys. The study used data gathered as part of the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH), a national survey directed and funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In the NSCH study, more than 78,000 parents of children aged 3 to 17 years were asked whether their child currently had an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis – including autism, Asperger's syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder, or another ASD or whether their child had been given that diagnosis in the past, but was no longer diagnosed with ASD.
The CDC announced that an updated report from their Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network would be released by the end of the year with their preliminary results showing that approximately 1% of children in their study have an ASD. Since the ADDM study is not expected to be published for several months, we do not believe the official CDC estimate will change until that time.
These new findings reinforce that autism is an urgent and growing public health crisis that affects most individuals across their lifespan and demands a commensurate level of action from both the public and private sectors.
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