"Up to 11 Million Won a Month"... The Exhaustive Search for Autism Treatment Centers

Autism spectrum disorder, characterized by restricted interests, repetitive behaviors, and difficulties in social interaction, affects 1 in every 31 children aged 8 in the United States. Domestically, the number of registered individuals with autism aged 19 and under has nearly tripled over the past 15 years. As the awareness spreads that earlier detection and early intervention in autism spectrum disorder can alter a child's developmental trajectory, a growing number of parents are throwing themselves into rehabilitation therapy the younger their children are. The problem is that in South Korea, where national systems supporting early intervention are lacking, parents are forced into an individual battle. Although regional hubs for developmental disabilities and behavioral development promotion centers have been established, it is common to wait years to receive consultations and treatments. Ultimately, the demand that the public system fails to absorb is flocking to private education centers, driving parents to shuttle their children from one private therapy room to another after school, much like racing between private cram schools. Seven-year-old Jun-seo (pseudonym) was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The couple's schedule begins in earnest at 3 p.m. when Jun-seo finishes kindergarten. For rehabilitation training, visiting two or three places a day—including swimming and applied behavior analysis (ABA)—is the default. With the schedule proving too demanding, one of the working parents, the father, temporarily quit his job to look after the child. The issue is the cost of treatment. The couple stated that they spend up to 4 million won a month on treatment costs. The monthly treatment cost for a full-day program at a center known to have the highest fees among domestic behavioral therapy facilities reached as high as 11 million won. In fact, when the production team surveyed 517 parents raising children with developmental disabilities, including autism, about 60 percent of respondents reported spending over 1 million won per month on treatment costs, and quite a few households spent more than 3 million won. However, the costs covered by government support averaged only 100,000 to 200,000 won per month. Unlike in South Korea, where families have to search for therapy rooms on their own, the state and local communities in the United States and Japan take action first. The production team visited the United States and Japan directly to examine the daily lives of families raising autistic children. In the United States, families were connected to necessary support following an autism diagnosis, and were able to receive various rehabilitation treatments such as behavioral therapy and speech therapy through insurance and public support. In Japan, multiple specialists monitor a child's development starting from the infant health checkup stage, connecting families in need with local related organizations. Treatment costs are also based on public support, preventing situations where children cannot receive treatment due to their family's economic circumstances. In both countries, unlike South Korea where individuals must fend for themselves after a diagnosis, the state and local communities support the child's treatment and the family's daily life together.

This week's SBS <Newstory> examines the domestic reality of the "treatment war" that parents face after an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, and compares and highlights the advanced support systems of the United States and Japan, where the state and local communities take full charge of treatment and care.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.