A diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), hereafter referred to as
“autism,” can have lifelong implications for children with autism and
their families. The number of diagnosed cases continues to increase at
an alarming rate as shown by the number of U.S. children with autism
exceeding 1.5 million (Autism Speaks, 2006). The need for autism-related
services and the potential loss of contributions by persons with autism
and their families have strong implications for society as annual finan-
cial costs are estimated to exceed $35 billion (Ganz, 2006).