Monday, April 11, 2011

Dr. Peter Gerhardt on Adults with Autism

My childhood friend Lisa Jo Rudy who blogs at about.com on autism spectrum disorders has a wonderful guest blog by Dr. Peter Gerhardt, President of the Organization for Autism Research, and the needs for adults on the spectrum. Hopefully the media will catch on that it's not just about cute children with autism.

The cohort of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosed as part of the first wave of what is often referred to as the autism epidemic is rapidly approaching adulthood. This cohort represents only the proverbial tip of the iceberg with some reports noting that 70% of the currently identified individuals with ASD are less than 14-years old. These numbers represent a looming crisis of unprecedented magnitude for adults with autism, their families, and the ill-prepared and underfunded adult service system charged with meeting their needs.

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