A W A R E N E S S

Let’s talk about autism

Autism spectrum disorder, or autism for short, is a developmental disorder characterized by many symptoms, primarily by repetitive behaviors and a contrast in communication. An child with autism’s brain functions differently than a normal child’s brain, specifically their thinking, learning, and social skills are uncommon to society. Autism is diagnosed at a young age, usually 2 or 3 years old, and it sticks with a child for their entire lifetime.

There is no specific cure that can “fix” autism since there is no pinpointed cause for the disorder that has been researched. That being said, there are helpful methods or treatments to help kids with autism function on their own. A few years ago, the “National Autism Center” officially recognized 11 autism treatments/methods of wellness. These treatments are effective on the hard hitting areas of autism like difficulties with communication, ordinary behavioral skills, and anxiety that comes with the disorder. However, the treatments can be very costly. Because autism is not a usual disorder, many citizens see it as not being as relevant in today’s society. As parents have to pay this large bill by themselves, the lack of autism awareness results in these kids lacking the treatment they need to succeed.

Wait, so you’re saying that treatments for autism are expensive?

Yes. In fact, studies have shown that parents have had to pay at least $67,000 per year for one child with a minor case of autism, and at most $72,000 per year for a child with a major case. In a lifetime, that can add up to be millions of dollars; $3.2 million according to the Harvard School of Public Health. This is a large sum of money for just one kid, considering all of this money comes directly from parents’ pay checks. If it is difficult for the average American household to cover these bills, think about how much of a struggle it would be for less fortunate families who have children with autism.

So where does all my money go when I buy a dessert?

Because “Sara’s Treat” is a non-profit organization, 100% of the profits go to “Hope Center 4 Autism”.

The “Hope Center 4 Autism” is a foundation that helps less fortunate families who care for a kid with autism get the treatment they need while still being able to support themselves financially. Parent’s desperation for their kid to be treated leads them to impulsively purchase very expensive “scientific” methods to “cure” autism, which obviously does not work very well and usually is a waste of a large sum of cash. “Hope Center 4 Autism” will fix that neediness and spontaneous spending, as they provide services to aid children with autism through their journey of life like different kinds of therapy and speech development. The foundation pays for the services so that the parents can let their wallets rest and have dinner for the next night.

What will it change for children with autism in the future?

Imagine how much money eye appointments are. Around $100, right? Now imagine how much these appointments would be without insurance coverage. Probably a few times as much as $100. Think about how often a person with bad vision would have to visit the doctors office per year. The $100 with insurance coverage has now grown to $1000 without insurance coverage. That $1000 example is a current representation of an autistic family’s expenditures for healthcare.

As of now, health insurance companies do not cover autism spectrum disorder’s medical bills because autism is not a physical disorder like a scrape or a bruise, and it is not extremely common among the population of America. Self-funded plans are an option for autism insurance, but they too come with their set of unreliabilities: these plans have a welcoming appearance, yet they are just as limiting as regular health insurance companies and usually are not cost effective. This is one of the reasons parents have trouble paying for autism treatments; parents have to pay out-of-pocket fees for their children with autism to have a chance to triumph in their life.

With awareness to the large expenses that autism requires, governments nationwide will see how the citizens of America care about this issue. When the government’s eyes are widened and they realize the financial toll autism has on families, they will work to create health insurances that cover all types of autism spectrum disorder. As of right now, all we can do is raise money to support the awareness of autism and grow its community as well as raising money to help these kids with autism get the treatment methods they deserve.