KY Autism Study Shows Families 'Financial Strain From Autism'

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[KYAUTISM] Study shows families' financial strain from autism

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WPVI-TV Philadelphia

Study shows families' financial strain from autism

Sunday, November 30, 2008 | 4:19 PM

By LINDSEY TANNER AP Medical Writer

CHICAGO (AP) - November 30, 2008 (WPVI) -- More than half a million

U.S.

children have autism with costly health care needs that often put an

unprecedented financial strain on their families, national data show.

Compared with parents whose youngsters have chronic health care needs

but

not autism, those with autistic children are three times more likely

to have

to quit their jobs or reduce work hours to care for their kids. They

pay

more for their kids' health needs, spend more time providing or

arranging

for that care, and are more likely to have money difficulties, the

study

found.

" This is the first national survey that looked at the impact on

families of

having kids with special health care needs, " said lead author

Kogan,

a researcher with the government's Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

The results are from a nationally representative 2005-06 survey of

nearly

40,000 children with special health care needs. These children have a

broad

range of chronic conditions, including physical and mental illness,

requiring more extensive than usual medical care.

A total of 2,088 children with special health needs had autism, which

translates to about 535,000 kids aged 3 to 17 nationwide, the study

authors

said.

The study appears in December's Pediatrics, being released Monday.

Autism typically involves poor verbal communication, repetitive

behaviors

such as head-banging, and avoidance of physical or eye contact.

Affected

children often need many more types of treatment than kids with other

chronic conditions, including speech and behavior therapy and

sometimes

medication. Kogan said that may explain the disproportionate strain

on their

families.

Jacquie Mace, whose 12-year-old son, Austin, has autism, said the

study

presents a " very realistic " picture of the challenges affected

families

face.

Mace said she spends " easily $15,000 to $20,000 out of pocket " yearly

on

supplies for behavior treatment she provides for her son. She's still

working to pay off a $7,000 bill for dental work Austin had last

year. He

has to be sedated and hospitalized for dental care because he can't

sit

still in a chair, Mace explained. Austin's health insurance doesn't

cover

any of it, she said.

Some states require insurers to cover certain autism treatment while

similar

proposed measures are pending in others, including Illinois.

Mace hasn't had to quit her job helping local families find autism

resources, but knows of many parents who've had to leave work to care

for

their autistic kids.

She is divorced - another common casualty, she said, of the

challenges of

caring for autistic kids.