Autism Facts & Stats
- Autism now affects 1 in 54 children
- Over half are classified as having an intellectual disability or borderline intellectual disability
- Boys are four times more likely to have autism than girls
- About 40% of children with autism do not speak.
- About 25%–30% of children with autism have some words at 12 to 18 months of age and then lose them.
- Others might speak, but not until later in childhood
- Autism greatly varies from person to person (no two people with autism are alike)
- The rate of autism has steadily grown over the last twenty years
- Comorbid conditions often associated with autism include: Fragile X, allergies, asthma, epilepsy, bowel disease, gastrointestinal/digestive disorders, persistent viral infections, PANDAS, feeding disorders, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, ADHD, Tourette Syndrome, OCD, sensory integration dysfunction, sleeping disorders, immune disorders, autoimmune disorders, and neuroinflammation.
- Autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder, yet most underfunded
- Children with autism do progress – early intervention is key
- Autism is treatable, not a hopeless condition