Autism Spectrum Diagnosis (ASD) & Prevalence
- The prevalence of autism is estimated at 1 in 36 births nationwide and 1 in 36 in Arizona as of 2020.
- Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disorder, yet it is the most underfunded. (2)
- ASD is reported to occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. (1)
- Specialists who can do a more in-depth evaluation and make a diagnosis include: developmental pediatricians (doctors who have special training in child development and children with special needs); child neurologists (doctors who work on the brain, spine, and nerves); child psychologists or psychiatrists (doctors who know about the human mind). (4)
- In December 2018, about 12.5 million people aged 18–64 received benefits on the basis of disability.(5)
- It is estimated that worldwide 75 million people have ASD: 1% of the population (7)
- ASD is 4 times more likely to be identified in boys than girls.(1)
Financial
- The cost of lifelong care can be reduced by 2/3 with early diagnosis and intervention. (6)
- 3.5M+ individuals in the United States are on the Autism Spectrum; Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the U.S.(10)
- Most children were still being diagnosed after age 4, though Autism can be reliably diagnosed as early as age 2.(8)
- The cost of caring for Americans with Autism had reached $268 billion in 2015 and would rise to $461 billion by 2025 in the absence of more-effective interventions and support across the life span.(8)
- On average, Autism costs an estimated $60,000 a year through childhood, with the bulk of the costs in special services and lost wages related to increased demands on one or both parents. Costs increase with the occurrence of intellectual disability.(9)
- 88,000 individuals are on state waiting lists hoping to receive adult housing services; the rate is growing exponentially. 85% of Autistic adults with a college education are unemployed (10).
Education and Work
- The average per-pupil expenditure for educating a child with Autism was estimated by SEEP to be over $18,000 in the 1999-2000 school year. This estimate was nearly three times the expenditure for a typical regular education student who did not receive special education services.(11)
- The unemployment rates for people with Autism are estimated to be 90%, compared with 3.5% for people without a disability.(10)