DaytonDailyNews.com

When Marion Witcher took her daughter, Ashley, to the doctor because of delays the toddler was experiencing, the pediatrician said Ashley would grow out of it. Ashley was born prematurely and delays were to be expected, the doctor said.

Then, when the girl was diagnosed with autism, another health care worker simply told Witcher that children with autism were usually put in mental institutions. At a later, unrelated visit to an emergency room, a hospital employee asked Witcher if she could "catch" autism.

Health care for people with autism has come a long way since then, and Witcher said she hoped recent attention focused on autism will continue to move things forward.

"I think the awareness that autism is getting right now is giving birth to a new stream of educators and reigniting fires of (existing) educators," said Witcher, a Huber Heights resident.

Two new studies indicate about 1 in 100 children have autism disorders, which is 50 percent higher than the previous estimate of 1 in 150 children. Autism is a developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate and interact with others. It is a "spectrum disorder" that impacts individuals differently and to varying degrees.

Treatments vary depending on the individual, but often include intense behavioral therapy, as well as speech and occupational therapy. According to the Centers for Disease Control, research shows that early intervention treatment services can greatly improve a child with autism's development.

Ashley has made a lot of progress. Previously a child who stared at a Sit-and-Spin toy for hours and who would not put her feet on the ground, Ashley now is a 2008 Wayne High graduate.

Nancy Bernotaitis also has seen improvements in her 12-year-old son, Sam, since his autism diagnosis at age 4. Originally a toddler fascinated with items such as cables and ceiling fans, Sam now is a sixth-grader with a 100-word vocabulary; he talks with others and is working on full sentences.

But there are hurdles, such as the lack of insurance coverage for autism treatment in Ohio like many other states, causing Sam's family to have expenses such as $72 twice a week for speech therapy and, in one instance, a single doctor appointment costing $600. The costs of therapy vary depending on the individual's needs and the type and frequency of therapy.

But even when there is coverage, there is a shortage of therapists who are trained to deal with autism, said Bernotaitis, who is president of the Autism Society — Dayton Chapter.

"They are doing more for early intervention and they are training doctors," Bernotaitis said. "What we need are service providers. We don't have enough speech therapists, occupational therapists and behavioral therapists. People might get coverage and can't find providers."