Autism is a lifelong developmental disability
with symptoms
that usually include impaired language acquisition
and comprehension; uneven development in physical,
mental and social skills; diffi culty relating to people,
objects
or events; lack of play skills and abnormal sensory responses.
The cause is unknown and is estimated to effect 1 in
every
150 children.
Most insurance providers do not recognize
it as a
disorder or cover the cost of effective therapies. New
data driven therapies including speech, occupational
and
applied behavior analysis therapy (ABA) have proven
to help the symptoms. Educational programs that build
upon a child’s strengths and improve social skills may
help sculpt the developing brain, minimizing the impact
of the illness later in life.
