Introduction (continued)
ASD has become
increasingly common. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's)
current national estimates range from one in every 80 to one in every 240
children with an average of one in 110 children. In New Jersey, the most recent estimate is
one in 94 children. The earlier possible ASD
symptoms are recognized, the sooner children can be diagnosed and receive the
therapeutic and educational support they need to develop to their fullest
potential. Only 50 percent of children are diagnosed before kindergarten,
according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
