posted Aug 28, 2015, 5:39 AM by Sarah Glazer
More children than ever before have been diagnosed with autism,
according to the latest government figures. Yet the condition remains
mysterious. The diagnosis encompasses a wide spectrum of individuals,
from people with severe mental disabilities to brilliant savants.
Scientists are still searching for the causes of autism, which for most
individuals with the condition probably include a complex combination of
genetics and environmental factors. Whether rising autism rates simply
reflect greater awareness of the condition and broadened diagnosis
remains a matter of debate. Meanwhile, treatment and education of
autistic children can be expensive, and many parents are fighting
insurers and school systems over who pays. At the same time, a
generation of autistic children is transitioning to adulthood, and
families face stark choices about their children's future. Activist
autistic adults say the federal government should put less emphasis on
finding biological causes and cures and more on assuring a good quality
of life for the thousands of autistic adults entering society. |
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