Direct And Indirect Cost Of Having A Child With Autism

Having a child that is diagnosed with autism would also mean that there are costs to be faced, both direct and indirect. As much as it is an unwelcome addition to your stress, it is better to have an idea of how much it will take to be able to give your child the proper support. It will give you a chance to prepare and even look at areas wherein you may save. Learning ABA strategies lets you practice skills with your child every day, alongside a program that a BCBA designs and supervises. It adds to that program and doesn't replace it. Remember, each diagnosed child’s needs are different, your child may or may not need all of the therapies or interventions listed below.

Direct costs include:

Physician and other medical professional services

• Equipment
• At-home supplies
• Hospital rates
• Emergency services
• Drugs and pharmaceuticals
• Medically related travel cost.

Indirect costs include

• Education
• Child care
• Respite care
• Placement services
• Additional therapies for related, comorbid conditions
• Cost to parents’ income and time.

Here are some of the most common and important expected direct costs that you have to be ready for:

The biggest direct costs are usually therapies. In ABA, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) designs and supervises the program, and a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) delivers most of the one-to-one hours, so the cost depends mainly on how many hours a week your child receives. Speech, occupational and physical therapy are billed separately. Costs are usually highest in the first years after diagnosis. Rates differ widely by state and provider, and most states now require many health plans to cover ABA, so ask your insurer and your provider for current figures. The 2011 figures in the original article are no longer current and have been removed.

The cost varies with the condition of a child, his response to the initial years of interventions, and even to which areas parents can make a good substitute. As early as the first diagnosis of a child, looking into the Special Learning resources to give all the important and practical information that are needed to give a diagnosed child the best support he can get.

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