Currently, the Autism Society estimates that the lifetime cost of caring for a child with autism ranges from $3.5 million
to $5 million, and the United States is facing almost $90 billion annually in cost for autism (this figure includes research, insurance cost and non-covered expenses, Medicaid waivers for autism, educational spending, housing, transportation, employment, in addition to related therapeutic services and caregiver costs).
If 4 million children are born in the United states every year, approximately 36,500 children will eventually be diagnosed with an ASD. Assuming the prevalence rate has been consistent over the past two decades, we can estimate that about 730,000 individuals between the ages of 0 to 21 have an ASD.
Individuals with ASD's have trouble understanding other people's feelings or talking about their own feelings, prefer not to be held or cuddled or might cuddle only when they want to, appear to be unaware when other people talk to them but respond to other sounds, repeat or echo words or phrases said to them or repeat words of phrases in place of normal language (echolalia), have trouble expressing their needs using typical words or motions, repeat actions over and over again and have trouble adapting when a routine changes.