The bigger picture
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is far more common than most people think.
The numbers
1 in 31
children aged 8 in the United States has been identified with ASD.
61.8 million
people worldwide are estimated to be on the autism spectrum. That is about 1 in every 127.
1 in 150
was the United States figure when the CDC began counting in 2000.
Sources
What the numbers mean
One in 31 is roughly one child in every classroom. More children with ASD are being identified now than at any time since the count began.
ASD is found in every racial, ethnic, and economic group. These neurodivergent children are in every school, every team, and every neighborhood, including ours.
Why working with them matters
The numbers tell us how many children with ASD there are. They don't tell us what those children can do. That depends a great deal on what they are offered.
The worldwide study ranks autism among the ten leading causes of non-fatal health burden for people under 20, and its authors call for early support for neurodivergent young people and the people who care for them.
What encouragement does
A child with ASD who is given a place to practice, a patient coach, and people who expect them to show up gets more confident each time. A child who is left out learns to stop trying.
What separates those two neurodivergent children is rarely ability. It is opportunity and encouragement, and both can be supplied by ordinary people. That is the work R Journey does.