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Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life. The result of a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain, autism and its associated behaviors have been estimated to occur in as many as 1 in 166 individuals (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2004). This severe, neuro-developmental disability is characterized by the absence of the most innate ability to learn and communicate. It is four times more common in males than females, and knows no racial, ethnic, or social boundaries. Family income, lifestyle, and educational levels do not affect the chance of autism's occurrence. Its prevalence rate makes autism one of the most common developmental disabilities. It is more prevalent than Down Syndrome, childhood cancer, and Cystic Fibrosis, yet it receives less than 5% of the funding of other less common disorders. Three quarters of those diagnosed with infantile autism spend their adult lives in institutions or group homes, usually entering by the age of 13, with a direct cost to tax payers of tens of billions of dollars per year.
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