Autism Facts

• 1 in 91 children are diagnosed with autism (national average)
• ASD occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups
• Boys are four to five times more likely than girls to have autism
• 67 children are diagnosed per day
• A new case is diagnosed almost every 20 minutes
• More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes & cancer combined
• Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S.
• Autism costs the nation over $35 billion per year, increasing each year
• Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases
• Approximately 1 million individuals in the US have autism

• Leukemia: Affects 1 in 25,000 / Funding: $310 million
• Muscular Dystrophy: Affects 1 in 20,000 / Funding: $175 million
• Pediatric AIDS: Affects 1 in 8,000 / Funding: $394 million
• Juvenile Diabetes: Affects 1 in 500 / Funding: $130 million
• Autism: Affects 1 in 91 / Funding: $42 million

• Without effective intervention, most people with autism require lifelong specialized educational, family, and
  
  adult services, at a total cost that is estimated at upwards of $4 million.
• Effective early intervention can substantially reduce their need for specialized services later on.