It’s well-established that racial disparity exists in numerous aspects of U.S. healthcare, with higher rates of illness and infirmity and lower rates of insurance coverage and quality care. Now, our Cleveland ABA therapists have learned of a new study published in the journal Pediatrics that found Black Americans are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at a much later stage than their White counterparts. In turn what this means is they are missing out on essential early intervention treatment that is critical to helping them overcome significant social and academic challenges in life.

Important to note: It’s the parents delaying the diagnosis, according to study authors.

“There’s something going on in the system,” said Dr. Daniel Geschwind, professor of neurology at the University of California and director of the Center for Autism Research and Treatment. In the study, Black parents reportedly noticed something was “not quite right” early on and sought medical help – and had insurance to cover evaluations and treatment. Even so, approximately 4 in 10 had to see a medical provider numerous times before their child received an autism diagnosis. Our ABA therapists know that getting appointments with specialists who can give a diagnosis like that can take well over 6 months each. (And lack of access to the kind of professionals qualified to make an autism diagnosis was specifically listed as one of the factors contributing to delay for about one-third of Black children ultimately diagnosed.)

There is no “official” timeline for an autism diagnosis, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the median timeline is 52 months. For Black children, however, researchers found it’s closer to  65 months. That is more than a year of time lost – at a time when it is critical because neuro-pathways are fast developing. ABA therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and other early intervention services are most effective the sooner they start.

Misdiagnosis is another problem. Some Black children were diagnosed with oppositional defiance disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder before they were ultimately given the correct diagnosis of autism. Many early intervention ABA therapy plans of care call for an intensive 20 hours weekly to start. One year of treatment delayed can mean more than 1,000 hours of services – which can be extremely detrimental to a developing toddler or preschool child.