Autism spectrum disorder affects 1 in 31 children in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), making early awareness and access to care more important than ever. UT Physicians plays a critical role in connecting families to evidence-based resources and support.
Advancing autism awareness means more than recognizing a diagnosis. At the Dan L Duncan Children’s Neurodevelopmental Clinic at the Children’s Learning Institute, it means ensuring families have access to expert care, trusted information, and meaningful support.
With increased awareness of autism comes a greater understanding and acceptance that leads to early intervention.
“When we have acceptance, we are able to identify more individuals who have autism, improve special education, increase access to care, and inform wider policy making,” said Gabriel Anzueto, MD, a pediatrician specializing in developmental and behavioral pediatrics at the Duncan Clinic.
What is autism spectrum disorder?
Autism spectrum disorder is a broad range of developmental disorders that involves varying degrees of intellectual, language, and social difficulties. A core component of autism spectrum disorder is a lack of social communication.
“A key characteristic for individuals with autism is that they have challenges forming relationships, have challenges with reciprocal, back-and-forth conversations, and challenges socializing,” Anzueto explained.
Additional common traits of someone with autism include:
- Challenges with eye contact
- Difficulty changing a routine
- Aversion to spontaneity or surprises
- Hypersensitivity to certain sounds, textures, and temperatures
- Restrictive and repetitive behaviors or interests
“Not everyone who flaps their hands has autism, and not everybody who is a picky eater has autism, but it’s important to have a neurodevelopmental evaluation when those things occur, because there are many traits that overlap with different conditions, such as anxiety and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),” Anzueto said.
Early signs of autism that parents should watch for
Some signs of autism can be seen in children as young as 6 months old. Early indicators are based on social connectivity milestones measured in the first years of life.
“Even before a baby is verbal, they should be using different tones of cry to communicate wants and needs, such as hungry, tired, hurt, and dirty diaper,” said Anzueto, who is an assistant professor and the chief of the Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Division at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston.
Early indicators of autism by age:
- 6-9 months: few or no big smiles, limited eye contact, limited joyful expressions
- 9 months: little or no sharing of sounds, smiles, or facial expressions
- 12 months: no babbling, a lack of gestures like pointing or waving to communicate, no response to name
- 18 months: doesn’t point to share something interesting, no emergence of simple language
- 24 months: doesn’t notice when others are hurt, limited pretend/imaginative play
- 36 months: doesn’t notice other children and doesn’t join them to play
Symptoms of autism may present differently for each child. There are even cases where individuals meet all traditional developmental milestones but then regress around 18-24 months.
“This is why frequent pediatric visits are necessary for newborns, infants, and toddlers,” Anzueto said. “Primary care providers use standardized developmental measures, and the moment there is any deviation from social communication, the provider can flag it to monitor the child’s development.”
Importance of early diagnosis
Current screening guidelines for autism begin at 18 months old, though there is the ability to diagnose a child as young as 12 months. When a child displays early signs of autism, the goal is a diagnosis by age 2.
“The big picture is that the earlier an individual is diagnosed with autism, the sooner they have access to high-quality, evidence-based interventions and medical evaluations like genetic testing, which can improve overall outcome,” Anzueto said.
From a family standpoint, a diagnosis also provides clarity for caregivers.
“A lot of parents of a child with developmental delay go through the stress of self-doubt and fear, so a diagnosis can provide a sense of direction,” Anzueto explained. “The earlier parents have answers, the sooner they can feel empowered to help their child.”
Multidisciplinary approach
Autism often impacts many aspects of a child’s development, requiring a range of professional experts, from pediatrics, neurology, psychology, and therapy services.
The Duncan Clinic at the Children’s Learning Institute provides compassionate care from a team that includes:
- Child and adolescent psychiatrists
- Clinical psychologists
- Developmental and behavioral pediatricians
- Licensed clinical social workers
- Nurse practitioners
- Pediatric neurologists
“When you have a multidisciplinary team, you get the experience and training from specialists in various fields to create a personalized, comprehensive care plan,” Anzueto said. “We all have the same goal, and this approach enhances the overall quality of care for a better outcome.”
As part of UTHealth Houston, the clinic has no age limits. The team can evaluate, assess, and connect adult patients through the vast network of providers.
Why is the waitlist for autism assessment so long?
Nationally, the average wait time for an autism evaluation can range from 6 to 18 months. At the Duncan Clinic, the average wait time is 8 to 14 months.
There are several compounding factors creating long waits across the country:
- Lack of providers educated and trained to perform evaluations
- Length of the evaluation
- Playing catch-up from years of underdiagnosing cases
- Unique follow-up care required for most patients
Resources for navigating an autism diagnosis
Caregivers don’t have to wait to find resources, answers, and assistance. The clinic team has compiled a comprehensive digital guide for autism spectrum disorder.
With information in both English and Spanish, the website is a one-stop shop, featuring videos, toolkits, and resources organized by category for specialized learning and research.
“This is vetted content for the community, using only the latest evidence and clinical experience of those working in the field of autism spectrum disorder,” said Anzueto, who holds the Raghuthaman Family Professorship in Pediatric Neurology and Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics.
How to schedule an evaluation for autism
Autism awareness has evolved into a call to action. For families navigating autism, access to early diagnosis, specialized care, and community support can make a lasting difference.
At the Dan L Duncan Children’s Neurodevelopmental Clinic at the Children’s Learning Institute, families can find a comprehensive team eager to tailor a care plan with dignity and respect for each child and caregiver’s unique journey during an autism diagnosis. Contact our main number at 713-500-8300. A patient access representative will gather information and share the next steps.
