The Stress of Autism

This is an excerpt from an article originally published on July 14, 2009 in the New York Times:

Raising a child with any developmental disability or behavior problem is difficult. But is there something uniquely stressful about autism? That is the question researchers at the University of Washington Autism Center tried to answer in a study of mothers of children with developmental disabilities.

I spoke with Annette Estes, associate director of the center, about the research and how it might make a difference for parents of children with autism. Here’s our conversation.

Q Isn’t it obvious that having a child with autism would be stressful for parents?

A What we were interested in is the evidence that is starting to come out that parents of children with autism were reporting higher levels of stress than parents of children with developmental delays. We know parents who have children with any kind of disability have more requirements and more demands on them than parents of typically developing children. We wanted to better understand what was making the added difference for parents of children with autism.

For the full interview and article go to The Stress of Autism.

Barack Obama, statement made on World Autism Day 2009

This is an excerpt from President Obama's press release delivered on April 2, 2009; United Nations - World Autism Day.

" Autism Spectrum Disorders have quietly become some of the most serious public health issues in the United States and the world today. According to the Centers for Disease Control, autism affects 1 in 150 children; 1 in 94 boys, in the United States. It is estimated that tens of millions have autism world wide.

Autism not only jeopardizes the future of our children, but also has a devastating impact on all levels of government here at home and around the world. Today, autism costs our nation alone $90 billion dollars each year. In current dollars, the cost of simply caring for each person with autism will be over $3 million -- a devastating burden for virtually every family who is affected by this disorder.

While the statistics are staggering, these numbers are compounded with autism's impact on our families and communities. The divorce rate of parents of children with autism is far above the national average, as is the bankruptcy rate. Autism taxes our families in many ways - not just financially, but emotionally as well.

As an Illinois state senator, I sponsored comprehensive legislation that became law to create an Autism Spectrum Disorders diagnosis education program. The goal of that project is to offer educational opportunities at all levels of care, including physicians, early intervention (which we know is crucial in helping give our children a chance), psychologists, teachers, day care providers, parents, respite workers, and speech and language therapists. I have personally worked side-by-side with Illinois families affected by autism to support efforts to build the Therapeutic School and Center for Autism Research."

Full statement available at barackobama.com.