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The National Institute of Mental Health has committed several million dollars to research on autism, driven in part by the recent data showing a marked increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism in the past several years. Like the causes of autism, the reason(s) for this increase in the data is fervently debated by most experts.

Early, intensive, and behaviorally-based interventions ensure that a child with autism will reach his or her highest functioning potential. Parents and caregivers, together with treatment providers, educators, and others in their community, can work to improve daily living, communication, and social skills in children with autism. These "systems of care", wherein various services are coordinated in a plan of treatment for a child, can be highly effective.