Action for Autism
Through CMF Kids school and community-based partnership programs as well the ground-breaking Logan’s Giving Fund for Autism, Crotched Mountain Foundation is taking a leading role in generating research, supporting game-changing programs, and helping families of children with autism.
Some of our autism-focused projects include:
- Building sensory rooms and play spaces that support the developmental needs of children with autism
- Leveraginng scholarship support for music therapy, equine therapy, adaptive recreation, and martial arts through partnerships with Manchester Community Music School, Concord Community Music School, Keene Housing Kids Collaborative and Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country
- Training paraprofessionals to achieve Registered Behavior Technician credentialing and professional development and necessary supervision of Board-Certified Behavior Analysts.
- Enhancing classroom environments with necessary technologies, specialized equipment, and adaptive play equipment to meet children’s social, emotional, behavioral, and learning needs
- Refurbishing and upgrading vocational learning spaces so students further the skills tey need to be successful in community life after leaving high school
- Fostering and championing inclusive friendships and future disability leaders in collaboration with Best Buddies New Hampshire
- Supporting families of children by offering resource awards through Logan’s Giving Fund for Autism for necessary treatments and services such as Applied Behavioral Analysis, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy, social skills groups, and much more
Did You Know? All About Autism
Courtesy of Autism Speaks – www.autismspeaks.org
- 1 in 36 children in the U.S. have autism, up from the previous rate of 1 in 44.
- In NH, there are more than 3,000 children between the ages of 3 and 22 identified as having autism
- In NH, 4.2% of children have autism spectrum disorder as reported by a parent or caregiver
- In the U.S., about 4 in 100 boys and 1 in 100 girls have autism.
- Boys are nearly 4 times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls.
- Autism can be reliably diagnosed by a specialist by age 2, but the average age of autism diagnosis in the U.S. is 5 years.
- The average age of first intervention in the U.S. is 4.7 years.
- The average age of diagnosis for children in lower income households is 4.7 years compared to 5.2 years in higher income households.
- In NH, 5.4 is the average age of diagnosis of children with autism ages 0 - 17
- On average, 83.3% of children with autism receive early intervention or special education services
- 74% of autistic students in the U.S. graduate with a diploma, versus 86% of all students.
- In NH, 68.3% of autistic students graduated with a high school diploma
- According to the CDC, the average medical expenditures of a child with ASD exceed those without by $4,110 – $6,200 per year. Costs include health care, education, ASD-related therapy, family-coordinated services and caregiver time. In addition to these medical costs, intensive behavioral interventions for children with ASD costs $40,000 to $60,000 per child per year. Intensive behavioral interventions may consist of 20-40 hours per week of individualized instruction for children four or younger who usually continue for 2-3 years.
- Autism spectrum disorder is one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the United States. ASD is more common than childhood cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined.
- Autism spectrum disorder affects all nationalities, all creeds, all religions, all races and both sexes. It doesn’t differentiate or affect only one group.
- When one child is diagnosed with ASD, the next child to come along has about a 20% greater chance of developing ASD than a child with neurotypical older siblings. And when the first two children in a family receive that diagnosis, the chances go up to 32%.
