Dec
The Cost of Autism
| Anne Kelly |
| 12/2/2008 |
Children with health problems require extra attention and can be very expensive to treat. And a new study, published in the journal Pediatrics this week, shows how demanding one condition in particular can be. The study surveyed almost 40,000 children with special needs. Children with autism were shown to create some of the highest financial burdens for families.
Through occupational therapy sessions, Devon Heit, 7, is learning some basic life skills a little later than most children. That`s because he`s autistic. His mother Kristie spends a lot of money on Devon`s therapy and on countless of other types of treatments she says are necessary to his development. And while this session is covered by insurance, Kristie says that isn`t always the case.
“A lot of therapies are considered natural or alternative, and those are not covered by insurance in any way, shape or form.”
What`s more, Devon`s nine year-old brother has also been diagnosed with a form of autism called Asperger`s Syndrome. Both boys take supplements to regulate their digestive systems.
“Kids with autism tend to have problems with their gastrointestinal systems,” says Kristie, “They`re not able to absorb the nutrients from foods that normal people are.”
So she dishes out hundreds of dollars a month to give her sons supplements. Because the supplements aren`t considered pharmaceutical drugs, insurance companies won`t cover them. Another expense she incurs is the unusual gluten-casen free diet that most children with autism need to be on.
Kristie says most daycares won`t accept children with autism due to safety risks and behavior issues. As a result, many parents are forced to cut work hours or hire special help around the home. Sherris Richards had to quit her part time job to take care of her autistic daughter, Faith, 6. She says just getting Faith ready for school is a full time job..
“Faith is usually not on time because there is usually such a struggle with the behaviors of getting her dressed. We had to teach her how to put on her shoes, how to take off her shoes. Every little thing that she knows, we had to teach her.”
Like Kristie, Sherris says she and her husband were caught off guard by the high price of having a child with autism. But it`s a price both families say they`re willing to pay.
“I need to get my kids better. I need to do what I can,” says Kristie.
