In March 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new study, estimating now that 1 in 50 children in the United States have autism. This number was previously 1 in 88—some have dubbed this increase an “autism tsunami.” According to the CDC, autism spectrum disorder is a group of developmental disabilities that can cause significant social, communication, and behavioral changes. Autism is a specific diagnosis within this category. At present, there is no cure for autism.
Today, 1 in 50 children ages 6 to 17 has been identified with autism spectrum disorder, which is a 200 percent increase from the year 2000. As many as 730,000 people in the U.S. up to age 21 have autism. Autism spectrum disorder affects more than 2 million people of all ages in the U.S. All this being said, the cost of autism to society is large and significant. Caring for an autistic person over his or her lifetime can cost up to $3.2 million. Families of autistic children often earn less money than families with children who don’t have any health limitations. A 2012 study showed that nearly 50 percent of parents with a child who had autism spectrum disorder reported that their child tried to leave (wander from) a safe place at least once. The annual cost of autism to U.S. society is a staggering $126 billion.
To learn more about autism spectrum disorder and the condition at a state level, check out the infographic below presented by InsuranceQuotes.
![Autism in America [Infographic] image Autism 6001](https://s3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Z2H6I7sMUF_5l2sfELHwQw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NQ--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/sbs/sbc/Business2Community/Autism-6001.png "Autism in America [Infographic]")
Autism in America [Infographic]
From: Bankrate Insurance’s InsuranceQuotes.com
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