Teachers who havent already had at least one student with an
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in their class soon could be in
the minority. Once viewed as a rare condition, autism now
affects one in every 150 American children. For boys, that
number jumps to almost one in 94, according to information from
the National Education Association (NEA). ASDs include a range
of autistic behaviors, from some mild impairment of social
skills to more severe conditions where children show little
awareness of the outside world. The estimated annual cost of
educating and caring for individuals with ASDs is about $90
billion, noted the NEA. Early diagnosis and intervention have
shown the potential to reduce treatment costs by two-thirds.
Inclusion policies are bringing more children with ASDs to
mainstream classrooms, requiring more adjustments by teachers.
The NEA marks National Autism Awareness Month by publicizing its
ASD resources for teachers and families, including The Puzzle of
Autism, a guide to assist educators, info