摘要：Recent prevalence rates for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are
now estimated at about 1 in 110 children in the U.S. Increases in
public awareness and research funding in response to the growing
numbers of children and adults with this disorder have led to
numerous important scientific advances over the last several
years. Nevertheless, because ASD remains a diagnosis that is defined completely
on the basis of behavior, diagnostic assessment is both complex and expensive.
Appropriate interventions and services are also multi-faceted and costly,
and because of the pervasive nature of the disorder, are often required in
some form across the lifespan. In the absence of standard societal mechanisms
to pay for appropriate assessment and treatment, families must personally
shoulder many of the costs associated with securing appropriate services for
their children. This Social Policy Report summarizes selected recent studies on
diagnosis, prevalence, and intervention, and discusses strategies for designing
social policies to help improve the outcomes and independence of children and
adults with ASDs.
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