According to information from Autism Parenting magazine, the rate of children across the country diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, continues to increase. According to government estimates, over 2% of children in the country have a diagnosis of ASD. By contrast, in 1970, only about 5 out of 10,000 children, or 0.005%, had a similar diagnosis.
Research into what many still refer to as autism shows that the condition may have a hereditary component. Other factors include a woman’s health, habits and age during pregnancy and childbirth. Biological sex is also a factor, with boys being 3 to 4 times more likely to be diagnosed with the condition as are girls.
Symptoms of ASD can vary widely from child to child. In the most extreme cases, someone with autism might not be able to communicate and may require constant care.
Anyone with ASD can have any number of behavioral, social or intellectual limitations. They also frequently suffer from anxiety and hyperactivity.
It is not just children with ASD who may struggle at school and at life generally. Parents of children with ASD also need some additional support from their children’s schools and their broader communities.
New York Schools Are Supposed to Accommodate Kids with ASD
Schools on Long Island have obligations under the law to accommodate students who have ASD, provided of course that their condition legally qualifies as a disability.
Unfortunately, sometimes school districts and individual schools do not meet these obligations, particularly when doing so requires their investment of time and money.
A parent of a child with ASD in New York City or on Long Island may need an advocate with experience in education law to advise them of their options and help them pursue a good outcome for their child’s education.