Introduction
A student at the New York Center for Autism Charter School exchanges high-fives during a game on May 10, 2013, featuring members of the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates. The East Harlem center is the city's only public school exclusively for children with autism. (New York Center for Autism Charter School/Ellen Emerson White)
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More children than ever before have been diagnosed with autism, according to the latest government figures. Yet the condition remains mysterious. The diagnosis encompasses a wide spectrum of individuals, from people with severe mental disabilities to brilliant savants. Scientists are still searching for the causes of autism, which for most individuals with the condition probably include a complex combination of genetics and environmental factors. Whether rising autism rates simply reflect greater awareness of the condition and broadened diagnosis remains a matter of debate. Meanwhile, treatment and education of autistic children can be expensive, and many parents are fighting insurers and school systems over who pays. At the same time, a generation of autistic children is transitioning to adulthood, and families face stark choices about their children's future. Activist autistic adults say the federal government should put less emphasis on finding biological causes and cures and more on assuring a good quality of life for the thousands of autistic adults entering society.
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