Fighting Autism Frustration

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Fighting Autism Frustration - Part 2

posted 10:32 pm Tue November 13, 2007 - Across the ABC 13 Viewing Area

Doctors say the best weapon in the fight against autism is early intervention. But even with a relatively early diagnosis, paying for autism treatment can be a huge burden. In part two of our special report, what school districts, lawmakers and patient-advocates are doing to change things here in Virginia.

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Meet Trey. He's almost five years old. And after more than a year of therapy at the Blue Ridge Autism Center--he's learning to talk for the first time.

Rod Swearingen, Trey's Dad - "He looked up at me and said I love you Daddy and it's kind of automated, robotic sounding and I got all excited and praised him and had to go through it about six times and he just, I love you daddy and he waits for that praise, but it's hard to believe the progress he's made, these places do work."

Rod Swearingen's hope is that someday his son will be able to go to a regular school. Research shows it is possible. As many as 50% of autistic children who receive intensive early intervention therapy can become indistinguishable from their peers.

John Toscano, Commonwealth Autism Services - "There is a strong body of evidence that shows that these kids can be mainstreamed in the public schools and actually costing a lot less if the money is spent up front."

John Toscano is the Director of Commonwealth Autism Services, a non-profit group. One area he specializes in, is helping school districts meet the special needs of autistic students.

Toscano - "Because there is no autism designation for special education, no one is coming out necessarily trained before they hit the job if you will."

But more school districts are getting on board, helping coordinate and pay for services insurance companies won't cover.

In some views it is the school's responsibility, federal law says school districts must provide fair and appropriate education. But because autism is a spectrum disorder and affects every child in a different way, what's fair and appropriate for one child, may not be for another.

Toscano - "So it's not saying let's take a blood test, and if a person has a reading of 7 that means they are at such a level that they need this, but they don't need that."

And because treatment targets the brain, what's considered medical and what is educational is often a blurry line. Still advocates believe at some point schools will be able to provide quality education for autistic children.

Toscano - "I believe it's very much doable. But it hinges very much on the early behavioral work and the early intervention that the state has to offer and right now the early intervention services that the state of Virginia offers are really under funded and inadequate for the number and for what the research says the level of services needs to be."

Advocates say Virginia needs to catch up. South Carolina has passed a law making private insurers cover the costs. Wisconsin covers applied behavior analysis for young children. But in Virginia, the issue is still in the talking stages.

The state's joint commission on health care has studied the issue for two years now. Last week they decided to look into which state agency should be in charge of serving people with autism disorders. And whether Virginia should build a state home for autism to coordinate services for autistic people, from birth to adulthood.

Senator Steve Martin, (R) 11th District - "We need to act on this by this January or February and its implementation July 1st."

Advocates say that a central system for autism services would be a crucial first step to get Virginia going in the right direction. But as lawmakers take time to decide, more parents struggle to get their children the treatment they need.

Toscano - "It's very much a rock in the pond and the ripples are still going out from the sheer number of people that we are talking about now."

There is no simple solution to this problem, just as there is no cure for autism. But with the cooperation of educators, doctors and parents, hope is within reach.

Swearingen - "The sky is truly the limit, if you get them in these types of programs early."

It now costs $1.6-billion to take care of our country's autistic population. That number will grow exponentially as children being born these days with autism become adults. They say one in 150 children will be diagnosed with it. Experts say we will have a national crisis on our hands if we don't do something now, at the state and national levels.

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