What Have We Learned? - part three of three

We learned that 80% of those with autism in the United States are under the age of eighteen, who will be in need of significant services as they move toward adulthood. And we learned that the cost of caring for those with autism is rising. The annual societal cost of autism in the United States is now $126 billion, a three-fold increase from six years ago. A recent survey put the lifetime cost of autism to society at $3.2 million per capital, with adult care the largest component. This is a conservative estimate, with some other studies citing $5 to $10 million per individual. Scary, since most of the population with autism is still very young.

These coming large financial burdens will bankrupt not only millions of families but also society in general. Just multiply that conservative $3.2 million figure by one million kids (currently) and grow it at 12%. You think the United States has a financial problem now? You think spending a billion a day in Afghanistan is a lot? It’s a drop in the bucket compared to what’s coming. We hope we, and our leaders, pay attention to what we have learned.