What Do the Autism Statistics Say?

There is no cure for autism. This is a pretty harsh opening statement; but that is what the autism statistics indicate. The diagnosis of the disorder will help in choosing the correct treatment; this actually involves different types of therapy, depending on the degree of autism that the child or adult suffers from.  Looking at the autism statistics, the earlier the therapy is started, the better the results. It looks as if the treatment is administered before the child is two to three years old, the chances of getting a positive response is raised by as much as 36 percent.

Steady Rise Over Two Decades

According to the latest autism statistics, the number of children diagnosed with autism has been rising steadily; so much so that from the 80s to the present the number has increased six times over. For these children there is no hope unless the therapy starts before they are three years old; even then, the chance for them to make a total comeback is no higher than 30 to 40 percent.

The doctors say that the autistic child's nervous system is not "wired properly" and the therapy "repairs" the bad work and prevents further damage. With every year that passes the "wrong wiring" will become more permanent until it becomes impossible to repair.

The unfortunate thing is that less than 10 percent children are recommended for therapy, and out of that, maybe only three to four percent get it. This is not because the parents are not concerned by the prognosis, rather because the therapy costs too much for an ordinary person to afford over long periods of time. The autism statistics clearly indicate that unless there is a minimum 25 hours of therapy each and every week, there is little hope for any improvement.

The costs are prohibitive for most families, and the state does not have sufficient funds to help such children for the therapy or for their education. As if those weren't enough obstacles, there is also an acute dearth of specialists both for therapy as well as education for these children, making it almost impossible for them to ever attain self-sufficiency.

Many parents, for lack of alternatives, undertake special training so they can themselves administer the required therapy and educate their autistic children. However, this is not the right answer to the crisis. If the autism statistics need to improve then the state should be able to provide better support to counter the problems raised by this disorder.