Autism reported to cost families $60,000 annually

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Here's how much autism can cost American families

That's surprising. My disability benefits barely come to £6000 per year and my Mum isn't earning much higher than the minimum wage, so probably earns < £20 000. Between us we have money left over.

So I would like to know what actually costs $60 000.

My medical expenses are at about £1000 for this year, and that is only that high because I had to see an orthopaedic consultant and physiotherapist about my dodgy hip - nothing to do with Autism.

I'd assume costs would be more for children because parents would almost certainly have to take time off work to look after the children. Probably more so than non-autistic children.

Of course, the article is for America, where people's medical expenses are ridiculous. Its also not clear whether it applies more to severely autistic people, or high-functioning people.

Its important to highlight the word can in the article title.

Whenever these sort of costs get brought up, part of me wonders if they are trying to encourage genocide

Adults cost families more than children do because children have most of their services covered by the public school system, Medicaid and Charities. All these services stop for adults. (Charities for children are well funded. Adults are not as cute)

Many states have services for adults, but unless you can get on a government program they are very expensive. What costs so much? Adult Day Training, Personal Care Assistance, Companion services, Job coaches, respite care and so on.

Looks like propaganda to me. I doubt most people with autism cost anything like that. Autism Speaks is in the persuasion business, not the honesty business.

The only expense that could explain that amount, is if one parent quit work to stay home with a preschooler.

That seems like Autism Speaks propaganda to me. I really hope that organization goes under. No wonder so many ignorant people want to wipe us out.

Of course it costs a lot of money in the states. It costs anyone who has special needs a lot of money just to live in the states. The states only really wants white, wealthy, non-defective people in its country so it makes sure minorities and disabled people continue to be treated as inferior beings. It is as extremely racist and ableist as ever, but in more sneaky and subtle ways that it once was. The states won't rest until everyone it sees as defective is locked away and tortured or killed, and it become the next Nazi Germany.

Even though I'm on disability and I live by myself, I still cost my parents a fair amount of money. I'm much more dependent on them than most people my age.

The numbers are most likely a stretch, but there are definitely higher expenses for autism families. Some of these kids are destructive. I have had to make countless repairs around the house, and pay for damaged books at school. Taking time off to attend field trips because the school would exclude them if I did not attend. Buying chewies to save clothing and flesh. It is a shame that I can buy a dog chew toy for around 6 dollars, but a chewie for my son that is a fraction of the size is 15 dollars. Then there is delayed potty training. If your child outgrows the size 7 diapers, then your cost per diaper goes from 27 cents to over a dollar per diaper. Sure there are cheaper diapers, but you will be doing more laundry and cleaning.

Interesting to see president Donald Trump sign that kind of agreement. It's not the kind of thing you'd expect him to do nor would they discuss it in media.

Costs are mostly down to parents having to cut down on working hours. As a parent I can tell you it's not easy taking care of these kids . Then there are probably more costs connected to trying to find help for your child. We spend whatever it takes if we notice he's interested in something. We also try to test things that he might be interested in. Going to zoos, amusement parks, special diets (nowadays we need to buy the whole cake instead of just a slice!! !!), getting equipment for sports without being able to know whether he likes it or not (can't ask), apps for developing certain skills, tons of different clothes for every occasion etc.

I don't blame my boy for the lost income. I blame society for not helping out enough and offloading everything on parents.

For somebody with severe autism complicated by many co-morbid, $60,000 can seem very cheap, indeed.

But with somebody with high-functioning autism, $60,000 can seem ridiculously expensive.