As many as 1 in 150 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.  This is as many as 1 in 98 boys.

 

 

Speech, occupational, physical, behavioral and, play-based therapy interventions are the only known treatments for autism related disorders.

Medical professionals recommend a minimum of 20-30 hours of intensive therapy interventions per week for the treatment of autism.

 

The cost of providing 20-30 hours per week of intensive therapy interventions in the Spokane region is between $30,000-$80,000 per year.

Most Washington State medical insurance plans exclude coverage for therapy services for autism related disorders because there is no known cure and the cost of the therapy serivices is expensive. 

Less than 4% of children affected by autism receive the recommended 20-30 hours per week of therapy intervention services.

A family with a child with autism will fund 3 to 5 million dollars of services throughout the liftime of the child. 

 

 

The cost of lifelong care for an individual affected by autism can be reduced by 2/3rds with intensive early intervention services.

 

 

Autism rececives less than 5% of the research funding of most of the more prevalent childhood disorders, yet autims has a much higher incidence rate in children. 

 

 

Incidence vs. Private Funding (2007)

 

 

 

Almost 1.5 million people in the United States alone are affected by the disorder.

 

 

Autism affects more individuals than type 1 diabetes, childhood cancer, pediatric AIDS and down syndrome, combined.

 

 

Autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder in the Unites States.