Supporting Children with Autism Living in Extreme Poverty in Ecuador
This April, we come together to mark Autism Awareness Month with the HERO Campaign, an initiative aimed at providing therapy for children with autism facing extreme poverty in Ecuador. Our mission is to turn awareness into tangible action, and you are a vital part of this process. We can to provide a range of therapies, including occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, ABBA, TEACH and DENVER.
HERO CAMPAIGN: Therapy Hours
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) requires early and intensive intervention to significantly improve developmental outcomes, yet access to support in Ecuador remains critically limited. Based on estimates from the World Health Organization, approximately 1 in 31 children is on the autism spectrum, suggesting that more than 500,000 people in Ecuador may be living with ASD. However, official records from the Ministry of Public Health of Ecuador report only aprox 5700 diagnosed cases, revealing a massive gap in diagnosis and reporting.
Even when children receive a diagnosis, access to therapy is extremely limited: the public system typically provides around 4 sessions per month, usually 30–45 minutes once per week, far below international best practices recommending 20–40 hours of early intervention per week. Private therapy costs $30–$50 per session, pushing monthly care above $2,000, which is unaffordable for most families. As a result, thousands of children with autism in Ecuador grow up without the intensity of support required during the most critical developmental years, creating a systemic inclusion gap that affects families, education systems, and the country’s long-term social and economic potential.
