Autism is a complex developmental disability that inhibits a child's ability to communicate, form relationships with others, and respond appropriately to the world around them. Currently, the causes of autism are unknown, there are no specific medical treatments or cure, and there is no blood test or scan that can definitively diagnose autism. Onset of autism is typically before the age of three, which makes early and accurate diagnosis based solely upon observations of behavior very important.

Children (and adults) with autism exhibit three main characteristics:

Autism is a spectrum disorder; that is to say that some children will be affected severely and others in more subtle ways. It affects people of all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Today in Israel there are over 3,000 individuals with autism, and as in other countries this number is rising at an increased rate for reasons unknown. Whereas 10 years ago studies referred to the incidence of autism being 1:1,000 per birth, today some studies refer to numbers as high as 1:150.

The emotional cost of autism cannot be measured. No one knows the child better, nor cares more about his or her welfare, than the parents, but a child with autism can also be source of great tension in the home. The special needs of the child establish him or her as the primary focus of parental attention, at the expense of other children, family, friends and each other, and parents can become increasingly frustrated at the child's problems and lack of progress. It is therefore not surprising to learn that there is an increased likelihood of incidents of violence, physical and verbal abuse, and family break-ups in homes where there is a child with autism. Indeed, research indicates that parents of children with autism experience greater stress than parents of children with mental retardation and Down Syndrome. The cultivating a close relationship with the families of our students, so as to ensure the student's progress is also felt at home, is therefore crucial,.

The social cost of autism, including education, institutional care and related social services is substantial. Without an early significant therapeutic intervention the prognosis is bleak, indeed the vast majority of individuals with autism will be entirely dependent on others throughout adulthood. Research carried out in the UK on behalf of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Autism in 2001, estimated the average lifetime cost to the state, per person with autism was over £2.9 million ($5.7 million). However, the report also demonstrated that certain changes to service provision could not only considerably improve the quality of life for people with autism, their families and carers, but also that investment in suitable frameworks prevented the far higher long-term costs of residential and therapeutic care.