How much does it cost to raise an autistic child?
“How much does it cost to raise a child?” This was the theme of a talk during Back to School Night that I attended at Charlie’s school. I was a little late entering the gym/cafeteria/auditorium where parents and staff were gathered: Charlie had a 6.30pm piano lesson and I had been talking to his teacher about the latest innovation: A sheet of music with the treble cleft and 4/4 time indicated on the grand staff, and then the notes still labeled with the letter names and the number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 above them, to indicate which finger Charlie is to use (instead of using only his index finger). Charlie had played surely and strongly, reading off the notes and pressing the keys, his eyes bright—-after the usual full day of school and an ABA session at the end of which, the therapists and I were almost aghast at how clearly he spoke: “Come pway with me! Putditt oh-ver here.” How much does it cost to raise a child? The speaker cited a figure of something like this. I would hazard, Charlie has
