As parents struggle with raising autistic children, it's more common than you may think.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, says one of every 150 children has autism.

First we're showing you families combating the disorder. The series starts out with the Everharts. Sally and Ray Everhart live in Camdenton with their four children. It takes a big heart to combat autism from within.

Brandon Everhart practices Tae Kwon Do three days a week. Most kids take part in extra curricular activities because they are fun, but for Brandon, punching the air helps control his aggression. The CDC says one in 94 boys like Brandon has autism.

"I immediately got the feeling in the pit of my stomach that that's what it was," said Brandon's mom, Sally Everhart.

Sally knew what it was because she'd seen it before. Her heart told her it was autism. Boys get the disorder more often that girls, but Brandon's sister Halie has it as well.

"The eye contact wasn't there," said Sally. "I couldn't kiss her or hug her."

What do you do when you're autistic?

Halie responded by saying, "Sometimes, you get excited and stuff... and nervous."

The Everharts have two children on what's called the autism spectrum. Brandon is high functioning, but Halie's condition is more severe.

"She would bend down like a football player and just go at the wall. She would hit it full speed, stand back up, act like she didn't feel any of it, get back and start running at it again and if you didn't tackle her the second time, she was going to hit," said Sally.

Ray and Sally spend more than $36,000 a year for Brandon's and Halie's needs. Sally stays home while Ray earns a salary of $25,000 a year. Insurance does help, but Halie's medical bills alone are more than $2 million. The family has to cut corners to put food on the table.

"I'm going to be honest with you," said Ray. "There were times when I thought Sally and I are not going to make it. And we have struggled, we have had our problems, but we have always managed to talk through them and get through this. It has been very tough, lots of fights, but we have always managed to stick together and get through it. We have been together for ten years, and things come a lot easier now."

Sally says Brandon and Halie have grown up with ridicule. It's a daily fight to make friends.

Sally talks about an encounter they had at a store. "One day, we were in Wal-mart, I think it was. There were some older teenagers, she was stimming a lot; it was not a good day. She had just been very ill, she was doing a lot of the rocking, and the fingers and the things. One of the kids says something about her being retarded and before I even had a chance to turn around and say, 'You know what, that was really inappropriate,' she had turned around and put her hands on her hips and said, 'I'm autistic, what's your problem?' I just bursted out laughing."

"I would love it if they could grow up and be productive adults, go to college, have a family one day, I would just absolutely love that. Realistically, probably Halie will be with us for the rest of our lives, Brandon I think has a little bit more of a chance," Sally said of her hopes for her children.

Sally and Ray say they find faith in God through that chance.

"God doesn't make mistakes. There is not doubt in my mind that she is a mistake or he is a mistake in any way, shape or form. They are our kids, I wouldn't trade them for a million dollars. No way, they are just wonderful," said Sally.

If you know a child with autism, we have information about support groups. Just click the links on the side. You can also visit the Combating Autism From Within blog.

On Tuesday morning, "Combating Autism From Within" will introduce you to a family here in Columbia dealing with the disorder.

If you want to leave comments, visit the series blog.