Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Diagnoses are on the Rise

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) including Aspergers Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), full spectrum Autism, and probably Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD),  are on the rise nationally. Most experts agree that this complex condition is caused by a combination of various toxic exposures in a predisposed or sensitive child.

According to the Alameda County Developmental Disabilities Planning and Advisory Board, it is estimated that in Alameda County alone, the number of affected Autism Spectrum Disorder children has reached an all time high. The incidence of Autism Spectrum Disorders in the school systems increased 819% between 1993 and 2004 alone, putting a huge financial burden on our schools. The latest figures from California's Regional Centers shows that the epidemic continues unabated. The single largest increase in the 39 year history of the Regional Centers occurred in the last quarter of 2007. These numbers are shocking, and thousands of children's lives are at stake.

VAST Foundation - Bringing biomedical treatments within reach of East Bay families

Unfortunately, it can be very expensive to properly treat children with ASDs, and most insurance plans don’t cover these treatments. To make matters worse, most physicians have little to no training in how to treat the medical problems that autistic children have, so they only medicate the child's symptoms, instead of identifying and treating the root causes of the symptoms. This combination of high-cost and low awareness of alternatives to simply drugging the child has left many East Bay families little hope for improving the quality of life for their children afflicted with illnesses on the Autism Spectrum.

The Valley Autism Spectrum Treatments (VAST) Foundation was established to assist in the funding of cutting-edge medical treatment for ASDs for families in San Francisco’s East Bay area. We also support high quality clinics that provide effective treatments, and are working to raise local and national awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorders and the medical treatments that help these children recover to their fullest potential.

Learn more about VAST.