APRIL 2025  autism awareness month   

April is Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month. In March of 2023 the CDC released the latest data from the Autism & Developmental Disability Monitoring (ADDM) Network showing 1 in 36 eight-year-old children identified with ASD in 2020. This is an increase from the previous ASD prevalence data of 1 in every 44. Autism is known as a “spectrum” disorder because there is wide variation in the type and severity of symptoms people experience. Although ASD is a lifelong disorder, early detection, treatments and services can improve a person’s symptoms and daily functioning.

ADDM Network Data | Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) | CDC

Data and Statistics | Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) | CDC

Since 2000 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has increased by 317%.  Autism is the fastest growing, and the most under funded developmental disorder. 95% of children with Autism have at least four  co-occurring medical conditions including  Fragile X, epilepsy, gastrointestinal/digestive disorders, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, ADHD, Tourettes Syndrome, OCD, sensory integration dysfunction, sleeping disorders to name a few. Early detection can help addressing symptoms and conditions improving outcomes for individuals and reducing longterm costs.

Data & Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder | CDC

About Autism | The Autism Community in Action

Coffee with a Cause  april 2025     

Autism is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave.  People of all genders, races, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds can be diagnosed with ASD. As the prevalence increases it is critical to remember there are distinctions between daycare, not required by law, and access to early intervention, healthcare and IEP services required by civil rights and education laws. We must ask... what happens as demands increase on a system already struggling to meet its current obligations?

Autism Spectrum Disorder | NIMH (nih.gov)

Most screenings are done by community centered boards using school district staff. This can result in diagnosis based on available funding and expertise not the needs of patients or students with IEPs. It's dangerous to rely on a one-size-fits-all system for diagnostics, treatment plans and providing services required by law. This is where private practice professionals and second opinions increase accurate diagnosis, improve outcomes and provide added protections and accountability.

Coffee with a Cause  april 2025  

Early intervention improves outcomes for individuals and reduces costs to caregivers and taxpayers. On average, autism costs $60,000 a year through childhood, with the bulk of the costs in special services and lost wages related to demands on one or both parents. Medical expenditures for children and adolescents with ASD were 4.1 to 6.2 times greater than for those without autism. But, the majority of autism’s costs in the U.S. are for life-long adult services. This continues fueling growing urban-rurl gaps and adversely impacts independent living opportunities in many mountain communities.

Nearly half of 25-year-olds with autism have never held a paying job. 80% of those who obtain a job through DVR programs worked part-time at a median weekly rate of $160, putting them well below the poverty level.  Earning a meaningful income helps to address housing, healthcare and other traditional living expenses.  The data shows that 49% of adults with Autism live with a parent/relative compared to 27% in group homes and just 10% who live independently. A common sense approach deploys a menu of solutions for the neurodivergent and the caregivers to fit their situational needs.

Autism | U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov)

Autism Statistics and Facts | Autism Speaks

Autism Fact Sheet | National Autism Association

Remember a balanced approach uses verified data to identify problems and to propose actionable solutions. Only those willing to have difficult conversations can solve difficult problems. The first step to solving any problem is accepting the data indicating a problem... not blaming the messenger or method of delivery.

So join us for Coffee with a Cause and let's keep the conversation going each month with more data and actionable real life solutions!