What will happen in another 4 years? How can we go on like this? This is a national (and international) problem of monumental proportions. We have an entire new class of children who cannot be accommodated by the system: many are manifestly neurologically impaired. Meanwhile, the government and the medical profession sleep on regardless.
John Stone,
UK media editor, Age of Autism

The generation of American children born after 1990 are arguably the sickest generation in the history of our country.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

It seemed to me that with rising autism prevalence, you’d also see rising autism costs to society, and it turns out, the costs are catastrophic.
They calculated that in 2015 autism cost the United States $268 billion and they projected that if autism continues at its current rate, we’re looking at one trillion dollars a year in autism costs by 2025, so within five years.
Toby Rogers, PhD, Political economist

(Northern Ireland) One in 16 children have autism; 65% have profound, stage three autism

1 hour ago
1 min read

Prevalence of Autism (including Asperger Syndrome) in School Age Children in Northern Ireland Annual Report 2026

https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2026-05/asd-children-ni-2026.pdf

Of all children diagnosed with autism in 2025/26, 19% were identified as not having any special educational needs. This rate remained unchanged to the proportion recorded in 2024/25. Almost two-thirds of the children diagnosed with autism (65%) had a Statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN stage 3), whilst under a fifth (17%) were in either SEN stage 1 or 2. Please note that, as the SEN process is dynamic, with children moving between stages, the SEN stages must be treated as a ‘snapshot’ at the time of the Northern Ireland School Census.