Autism

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 percent of all babies born in Alaska each year will develop an autism spectrum disorder. That means out of 11,000 Alaskans born this year, 110 individuals will be diagnosed with an autism disorder by the age of eight. This can lead to challenges such as:

Social Communication/ Interaction 

• Difficulty establishing or maintaining back-and-forth conversations and interactions.
• Inability to initiate an interaction.
• Problems with shared attention or sharing of emotions and interests with others.
• Abnormal eye contact, posture, facial expressions, tone of voice, and gestures, as well as an inability to understand these, a lack of interest in other people.
• Difficulties in pretend play.
• Difficulties engaging in age-appropriate social activities.
• Problems adjusting to different social expectations.

Restrictive/Repetitive

• Behavior: Stereotyped or repetitive speech, motor movements, or use of objects.
• Excessive adherence to routines.
• Ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior.
• Excessive resistance to change.
• Highly restricted interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus.
• Hyper or hypo reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment.

Autism can vary person to person, and there’s a wide range of abilities for people with ASD. Some people with ASD are gifted, while others need significant levels of support to ensure their health and well-being. While great strides are being made in autism research, there is no known cause or a known singular effective treatment for ASD.

These programs are designed to help individuals with autism navigate their world and build a life filled with purpose, connection, and positive experiences. They may be funded through Medicaid waiver, Medicaid, private insurance, or private pay.