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Chairman
Dan Burton writes to President Bush
Re: AUTISM
May 15, 2003 |
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Dear Mr. President:
Mr. President, you have made the statement many times that we should leave no
child behind. Unfortunately, there are a growing number of our children who are
in serious danger of being left behind because of the devastating scourge of
autism. Thus, I am writing you today to urge you once again to convene a White
House Conference to confront the National problem of autism. Autism is a devastating
disease that has already reached epidemic proportions in this country, and the
problem continues to grow. A White House Conference on autism could galvanize
a National effort to find the underlying cause or causes of autism, and ultimately
lead towards a cure for this terrible disease, as well as efforts to develop
new services to help parents of autistic children meet the many challenges they
face on a day-to-day basis.
Autism was once considered a rare disease affecting just 1 in 10,000 children.
In April 2000, when the Government Reform Committee held its first hearing on
the dramatic rise in autism, Federal agencies were estimating that autism affected
1 in 500 children in the United States. A study reported in the Journal of the
American Medical Association indicates that ratio may actually be as high as
one in every 150 children, and the problem continues to grow.
According to a newly released report by the California Department of Developmental
Services (DDS), California's autism population has nearly doubled in just the
last four years, from 10,360 cases on December 31, 1998, to 20,377 cases as of
December 31, 2002. These figures indicate a 97 percent increase in autism cases,
and nearly a 100 percent increase in the state's autism caseload since 1999.
Since December 1988, California has seen a staggering 634 percent increase in
autism cases, jumping from 2,778 cases in December 1987 to 20,377 cases in December
2002.
Autism is now the number one disability for children entering California's Developmental
Services System, even more prevalent than childhood cancer, diabetes and Down's
syndrome. Children with autism represent almost 13 percent of the total population
served by California's Department of Developmental Services. It is important
to note that the figures I cited for California do not include persons with Pervasive
Developmental Disorder (PDD), PDD-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), Asperger's
Syndrome, or any of the other milder autism spectrum disorders. The California
data reflects only those children who have received a professional diagnosis
of level one (DSM IV), autism - the most severe form of autism. If we factor
in the other milder autism spectrum disorders, the problem becomes even more
alarming.
Tragically, California's situation is not unique. The rate of growth of persons
with autism in California is commensurate with reported increases in other states.
Since 1988 for example, Florida has reported a 571 percent increase in autism.
Maryland has reported a 513 percent increase just between 1993 and 1998, and
in my home state of Indiana, 2,462 children ages 3 to 21 were diagnosed with
autism in 1999 alone. That represents one-fourth of 1 percent of all school-age
children in Indiana, or 1 out of every 400. The exponential growth in autism
cases Nation-wide shows no signs of diminishing. The Autism Society of America
estimates that the number of autistic children in the United States is growing
by 10 to 17 percent each year. If these trends continue, it is conceivable that
the number of autistic children in America could reach 4 million in the next
decade.
Mr. President, as a Nation we are facing a crisis regarding the dramatic rise
in autism rates and the resulting emotional and financial strain placed on families,
our educational system -- as they attempt to educate these children who have
very special needs - and our state Medicaid and disability programs. We face
an even greater crisis in the next two decades as the need for adult services
and long-term housing for today's autistic children simply explodes.
We must develop solutions to help families and communities cope with this crisis,
and we must also do all we can to determine what is causing this epidemic and
learn how to stop it. A White House Conference could bring together the best
scientific minds to chart a comprehensive research agenda to uncover the underlying
causes of this epidemic, including the exploration of the biologically plausible
theory of mercury poisoning though childhood immunizations and dental amalgams.
In addition, a White House Conference on autism could bring together parents
of autistic children and leaders in the fields of education and social services
to begin a National dialogue about addressing the life-long challenges faced
by these children and their families. The problem of autism is simply not going
to go away. We cannot afford to leave these children behind by doing nothing.
We must mobilize a National effort to eradicate this terrible disease; and your
leadership, Mr. President, is critical if any such effort is to succeed. Once
again, I ask you to convene a White House Conference on autism without delay.
Mr. President, thank you for your leadership, and for your personal consideration
of this request.
Sincerely,
Dan Burton
Chairman
Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness |
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