1 in 110...

A slight improvement from the initial 1 in 100 that I heard a few months ago, but the CDC is officially reporting 1 in 110 as the autism rate in children, with the rate in boys at 1 in 70. It is still stunning to me that we are arguing about insurance coverage and educational services in light of these statistics. Look around at the kids you know. Name one thing that is more prevalent these days than autism. I think the only the thing you can look and see is asthma and ADHD. As quoted in the linked article, ""Autism spectrum disorder" is an umbrella term for three types of neurological disorders that can lead to significant social, communication and behavioral challenges." Neurological. Yet parents are fighting state by state to get autism covered under health insurance policies and we are completely unclear what is going on nationally within health care reform regarding autism. (Just when I think I have a handle on that, it seems like something has changed yet again...) We fear coming educational budget cuts. I worry what tone outgoing governor Tim Kaine has set in slashing mental health funding on his way out of office. (And he is running the DNC for the next few years? I really hope they don't call here looking for money.)

1 in 110. When does it become a crisis? When each and every child is severely autistic? Or when that severely autistic child is yours?

I will admit, it wasn't on my radar until it happened to me. But autism changed the world view of our extended family as they have seen us struggle. With these number, if you don't know someone who is struggling with raising a child autism, with having the therapy they need uninsured, and their schooling inadequate for their disability, it will not be long before you do. And you won't have to look any further than family photos.