Autism

Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 1.7 million Americans and is now more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. In the mid-1980s, autism affected four to five children per 10,000. Today, that number now stands at one child in every 166.

This year an additional 24,000 children will be diagnosed with the disorder. Unfortunately, there's still so much we don't understand about the condition, how it is caused and how to best treat it. Unlike other diseases, there are no medical best practices or guidelines established. Committed families and researchers have worked to draw national attention to the condition and although progress is being made, there remains much work ahead to further understand this perplexing disorder.