
Location you live in.
Age of the child.
Severity of the disorder.
Type of treatments being used.
But one thing is for certain, raising a child with Autism is expensive. Families have gone bankrupt trying to give their child the best care possible. According to Autism Speaks, the cost of raising a child with Autism is roughly $60,000 a year. According to The New York Times Health, Autism can cost up to $72,000 annually for families. When I look at these numbers it makes me cringe. It is my ultimate wish (dream is probably more like it) that someone, somewhere, will be able to start collecting answers and giving these families (mine included) a break. In “today’s world” the number of diagnosed children should be going down, not up, and the available care should be going up (in supply, not cost).
References:
Autism Speaks. (2013). Facts about Autism. Available online at: http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/facts-about-autism
Parker-Pope, T. (2013). The cost of Autism. Available online at: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/22/the-cost-of-autism/