Autistic Children Denied Access to Treatment

STERLING, Va. - (WUSA) It's a vicious circle, raising a child with autism. Six year old Ethan Nunez cannot speak, is not potty trained, and often has tantrums.

"He was diagnosed when he was two. We had four doctors concur he was severely autistic and needed a minimum of 40 hours a week of ABA therapy," says Ethan's mother, Carol Nunez.

ABA, applied behavioral analysis is intense one-on-one therapy with a trained specialist. It helps autistic children learn communicate, and function at a higher level. But it costs tens of thousands of dollars. And the Nunez's could only afford 20 hours a week.

"I think that if he had gotten 40 hours, he'd be higher functioning at this point,"says Nunez.

The Nunez's insurance company would not pay for the applied behavior analysis for Ethan. It, like many insurance companies, view the therapy as educational, and not medical.

ABA therapy is most successful before the age six, which means it may be too late for Ethan.... but the Nunez's hope his story will help younger autistic children like Korlan and Garrath Oldham... who both have Autism.


The families are pushing for passage of a bill in the Virginia legislature that would require insurance companies to cover 36-thousand dollars a year in therapy for autistic children.

The measure would raise insurance premiums by 4 dollars a month.

But Casandra Oldham, the boys' mother, says everyone she knows would gladly fork over what a latte costs every month to help her children. "It's going to cost taxpayers more, either a little now, or a lot later if you don't give them the help they need. "

Don Shipley, the president of the Northern Virginia Autism Society of America says, "Down the road, the number of diagnoses continues to skyrocket, it's going to put staggering demands on the state as these kids turn into adults."

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission of the General Assembly is holding a public hearing tonight in Woodbridge, Va to hear from families of autistic children.

When: Monday, Nov. 10, 2008, 6-9 p.m.

Where: Ferlazzo Building, 15941 Donald Curtis Drive, Woodbridge, VA

If you cannot attend the session, submit written comments to JLARCAutismStudy@leg.state.va.us.