Wellington, New Zealand – Autism Action NZ says not enough is being done for children with Autism.
Kim Hall coordinator for Autism Action NZ says that the “current support for children with Autism, provided by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education is abysmal”.
Current waiting lists for supports such as speech and language therapy are up to 12 months or more.
Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) Therapy has been proven in at least 45 recent studies as being an effective form of early intervention for children with Autism.
ABA Therapy is wholly or partly funded in Australia, UK, Canada and the US.
Families in New Zealand receive no funding from the government for ABA or other evidence based therapies. Leaving them to fund the more than $400 per week themselves, which for many is impossible.
In the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 68 people are diagnosed with Autism.
A recent London School of Economics study shows that the cost of supporting a person with Autism over their lifetime is between US $1.4 and $2.4 million.
Investment in early intervention could provide a significant cost saving to the tax payer and those affected by Autism.
Autism Action NZ
Wellington, NZ – www.autismactionnz.co.nz – autismactionnz@gmail.com
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Twitter: @Autism_ActionNZ