• Autism is diagnosed in 1 in every 110 children, including 1 in every 70 boys.
• Every 20 minutes, a child is diagnosed with autism.
• Autism is more prevalent than juvenile diabetes, down syndrome, childhood cancer, and cystic fibrosis combined. 

How is autism diagnosed?

• Autism is not diagnosed by a single medical test of a brief observation. It requires a subjective, comprehensive evaluation. 

How is autism treated?

• The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Surgeon General, and the National Council on Education all state that early, intensive behavior therapy is the most researched and proven method of treating children with autism.
• Though there is no known cure for autism, with the best treatment, over 85% of children with ASDs can make significant gains.

What is the cost of raising a child with autism?

• The annual cost of autism therapies and treatments can exceed $35,000 per year. 
• The lifetime cost to support an individual with autism is greater than $3.2 million. 
• The majority of autism treatment options are not covered by insurance. 
• Some estimates indicate that the rate of underemployment among adults with autism exceeds 90%. 

How does autism effect families?

• 70% to 80% of parents with an autistic child will get divorced. 
• The greatest fear of parents of autistic children is “who will care for my child when I am gone?”