Kristie McNealy, MD

Together, the results of two recent studies on autism highlight the financial strain caused by this complex condition. First, data from the IAN Project, the first national autism registry, shows that parents report spending spend an average of $500 per month on treatment for their autistic child. Next, a study out of the University of Rochester which examined lost income showed that families with autistic children earn an average of $6,200 less per year.

Parents of autistic children often struggle to pay out-of-pocket for therapies to treat their children, and according to IAN, most children with autism are on 5 or more treatments at any given time. Roughly 67% of these treatments are not covered by insurance.

When you look at these figures, it is no wonder why the IAN Project has also shown that 46% of the mothers in their registry are depressed.