Dozens of people have rallied on the steps of Parliament House in Adelaide to demand more support for children with autism.
Some parents cried as they described the emotional and financial toll of finding treatment for their children.
They are lobbying for more State Government money for medical support, to reduce waiting lists and for more special education classes in schools.
Rally organiser Daryl Barkhazen says the children deserve a better deal.
"Every child deserves a chance to have a nutrition plan, an education plan and the right to be able to socialise and be in a mainstream situation," he said.
"Recognise the importance of early intervention and ... get it happening as soon as possible because if there is a lag time until a child gets diagnosed, that child is not getting any treatment.
"There's only 52 weeks in a year - for every week a child doesn't get early intervention, there's going to be a poorer outcome."
Autism SA says it needs $200,000 a year in funding to reduce waiting lists from one year to three months.
It says it deals with 50 new cases of autism each month.
from http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/12/2568485.htm?site=adelaide
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