Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are described on the website of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as “a group of developmental disabilities that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges.  People with ASDs handle information in their brain differently than other people.” (www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/
autism/index.html)  In the United States, it is estimated that 1 in 68 children currently have a diagnosis of ASD and is dramatically on the rise.  Research published in the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics states that the incidence of autism has increased 289.5% from 1997 to 2008 (Trends in the Prevalence of Developmental Disabilities in US Children 1997 – 2008, May 23, 2011).

ASDs occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.  The CDC reports that ASDs are almost 5 times more common among boys than among girls.  “ASD commonly co-occurs with other developmental, psychiatric, neurologic, chromosomal, and genetic diagnoses. The co-occurrence of one or more non-ASD developmental diagnoses is 83%.” (www.cdc.gov/NCDDD/
autism/data.html)