| If your child has just been diagnosed with autism, | | | | treatment for your child, but these are usually |
| you and your family are about the have a life | | | | experimental and if your child is in the control |
| changing experience. After you get over the | | | | group of the experiment, then any benefits will be |
| shock of an autistic diagnosis you and your | | | | negated. The control group is the group where |
| spouse will probably be overwhelmed with all the | | | | nothing new is done to them or a placebo is given |
| information and misinformation there is about the | | | | instead of medication. A clinical trial can help with |
| disorder. Your doctor will probably suggest a team | | | | the finances but could be heartbreaking for the |
| of specialists who will take on the child's case that | | | | family if not benefit is seen. |
| will probably change during the child's lifetime as | | | | If you have the finances and the opportunity you |
| new symptoms appear or the child's age and | | | | might want to consider moving outside of the |
| needs change. The cost of an autistic child for | | | | United States. European countries and Canada |
| services and care can run close to $4,000,000 | | | | have a different philosophy in financing families |
| during the child's lifetime and can drain savings | | | | with children with autism than does the United |
| accounts and put the family in heavy debt. | | | | States. The United States will spend millions in the |
| The first thing the family needs to change is their | | | | public school system to have your child taken |
| opinion of insurance. Some people will take a good | | | | care of educationally through special education |
| job without insurance just for a good paycheck | | | | programs. Since autism is a unique disorder that is |
| or other benefits. This can't happen anymore. The | | | | individualized most teachers, though they are |
| parents or a least one of the parents has to have | | | | trained, will not have the same relationship with |
| good insurance from their employers. Without | | | | the child as the parents. European countries and |
| insurance your child will not get the level of care | | | | Canada siphon their monies in a different way. |
| that will give them the quality of life that your | | | | Instead of paying the doctors and teachers, they |
| child deserves. The medical costs and the | | | | pay the parents and let them choose the method |
| supplemental costs of going to different therapists | | | | of treatment and the path of education. This will |
| and clinicians can put your bank account in financial | | | | let the money go directly to the family and not a |
| shock and without insurance there will be little | | | | school system that is poorly suited to devote this |
| room for recovery. | | | | cash to the development and the treatment of |
| Another thing to worry about is that you will get | | | | the child. Most of the time in public schools, autistic |
| little financial assistance from the government. | | | | children are put with the mentally retarded and |
| The Americans with Disabilities Act allows your | | | | severely disabled children who have totally |
| child social security benefits and welfare, but most | | | | different issues and learning styles. If moving out |
| people who receive these funds can barely | | | | of the country is not an option for you, you |
| scratch out a living with today's economy. The | | | | might want to find a financial advisor that will help |
| supplemental money will have to come from the | | | | you plan for the future and the future expenses |
| parent's wages and whatever other financial | | | | of your autistic child. Stay insured and do not let |
| options there are. In some cases there are clinical | | | | your insurance lapse. |
| trials or case studies that will pay for the | | | | |