Autism is a cruel developmental disorder, impacting one in every 300 children born today. Ten years ago, the incidence level was two in 10,000. The alarming rise especially in the 1990s has now given autism the undesired ranking as America's third leading childhood disorder. Afflicting more children than cancer, cystic fibrosis, or multiple sclerosis, autism remains four times more prevalent in boys than in girls. Sadly, dramatic increases in the numbers of children impacted by this crisis are being recorded throughout the world.
Autism develops before the age of three.
In other cases, a child may be autistic from birth, while other parents report their child gradually slipping away. This neurobiological disorder impairs a child's intuitive thought and social and language development centers. This recent surge in the number of children diagnosed with autism is now impacting our school systems as never before. Teachers are not prepared to accommodate the special and demanding needs of these students. The state is not prepared for the long-term care of these adults.