The Numbers Behind the Autism Tsunami

THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE AUTISM TSUNAMI In March 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new study, estimating now that 1 in 50 children in the United States have autism. Previously, this number was 1 in 88. Some have dubbed this increase an "autism tsunami." CARING FOR AN AUTISTIC PERSON OVER Families of autistic children often HIS OR HER LIFETIME CAN COST UP TO $3.2 MILLION EARN LESS MONEY than families with children who don't have any health limitations WHAT IS AUTISM? According to the CDC, autism spectrum disorder is a group of developmental disabilities that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral changes. Autism is a specific diagnosis within this category. Characteristics of autism include: A difficulties with social interaction At this time, there's no cure for autism. difficulties with verbal and non-verbal communication repetitive behavior WHO? In 2000, That's a 1 in 50 1 in 150 200% children age 6 to 17 has been identified with autism spectrum disorder children were identified with autism spectrum disorder increase Autism is almost 5 times more common in boys than girls titi An estimated 1 in 54 boys and 1 in 252 girls have been diagnosed with autism Autism spectrum disorder affects more than 2 million people of all ages in the U.S. Nearly 1 in 5titit As many as 730,000 younger siblings of children with autism will develop autism themselves people in the U.S. up to age 21 have autism Children born to older parents (mothers older than 35, fathers older than 40) have a higher risk of having autism A 2012 study showed that nearly As many as 50% 1/3 of parents with a child who has autism of people with autism spectrum disorder also have epilepsy spectrum disorder reported that their child had tried to leave (wander from) a safe place at least once Just 6% of autistic adults hold paying full-time jobs. Only 3% of adults with autism live completely on their own. WHAT CAUSES AUTISM? There's no known single cause of autism, but a host of factors are thought to contribute to it. They include: Abnormalities in the brain structure or function A Heredity (suggesting that autism may have a genetic component) Certain conditions, including Fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis and Down syndrome have been linked with an increased chance of autism Environmental factors, such as exposure to toxins like mercury 4 states with the highest autism rates: (children age 6 to 17) Rhode Island Oregon 1.2% Minnesota Maine 1.4% 1.1% 1* AUTISM & HEALTH INSURANCE 26 states require autism coverage under state-regulated health plans as well as plans being expanded under federal health care reform: Alaska Michigan Arizona Missouri Arkansas California Colorado Montana Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey Connecticut Delaware Illinois Indiana Kentucky New Mexico New York Rhode Island Texas Louisiana West Virginia Maine Wisconsin Massachusetts Vermont states that do not require autism coverage 1 state requires autism coverage only under health plans being expanded under federal health care reform: Ohio 6 states require autism coverage in state-regulated health plans for state employees (but not for plans being expanded under federal health care reform): Florida, Iowa, Kansas, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia THE PRICE OF AUTISM Mothers with autistic children Families with autistic children earn 56% less earn 28% less than families with children who don't have health limitations. than mothers whose children have no physical or mental limitations. This is partly because they leave the workforce to care for their children or take lower-paying jobs with more flexibility. Average annual cost to care for a child with autism $60,000 Annual cost of autism to U.S. society $126 BILLION (such as health care costs and education costs) Projected annual cost of autism for U.S. society by 2023 $200 - $400 BILLION Sources http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism http://www.cde.gov/nebddd/autism/data.html http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/faq http://www.cde.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsro65.pdf http://www.autismspeaks.org/family-services/epilepsy http://graphics.latimes.com/usmap-autism-rates-state http://money.cnn.com/2012/04/02/pf/autism/index.htm http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/130/5/870 http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/facts-about-autism http://www.asha.org/advocacy/state/state-insurance-mandates-autism http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/23/health/23patient.html?Pref-health http://www.cahi.org/cahi_contents/resources/pdf/n152AutismTrend.pdf Presented by (i) Insurance Quotes.com http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/news/20120329/autism-rates-cde-2012 http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section news/health/your_health&id-7870808 http://www.autismspeaks.org/about-us/press-releases/annual-cost-of-autism-triples http://www.nesl.org/issues-research/health/autism-and-insurance-coverage-state-laws.aspx http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/19/autisms-burden-reflected-in-family-incomes/Piref-allsearch&iid-EL http://www.autismspeaks.org/advocacy/advocacy-news/autism-speaks-new-federal-health-care-rules-come-short-autism DevLOPED Y N NOWSOURCING