id you know that recent studies have shown there's currently what the media are referring to as a "worldwide autism epidemic".
In fact, based on official figures, more than 1.5 million people are affected in the United States alone, with one in every 150 children diagnosed.
But that's just the tip of the iceberg...
In terms of developmental disabilities, autism is the third most common (only mental retardation and cerebral palsy rank ahead of it)
Families with one autistic child have a 2 to 8 percent chance of having another autistic child
Autism occurs more often than childhood cancer or cystic fibrosis
Boys are three or four times more likely to be diagnosed with an ASD
Mental retardation is present in 75-80% of individuals with autism