LOVELAND, Colo. -- The Autism Society of Larimer County has started an initiative to reach more low-income and Hispanic families throughout the county, trying to educate disadvantaged families about the symptoms of autism and the resources available to help them get the treatment needed, said Phyllis Zimmerman, president of the Autism Society of Larimer County.
A study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2006 showed 1 in 110 children were detected with autism, a neurological disorder that can affect speech and social interaction skills.
That study also found the prevalence of detected Hispanic children with autism in Colorado increased 125 percent between 2002 and 2006.
Zimmerman said she knows of children who have been misdiagnosed as autistic because they don’t speak English well enough to understand instructions and choose not to interact with their English-speaking peers.
A study conducted by a psychology professor with the University of Pennsylvania’s Health System, School of Medicine found that minority children are diagnosed two to five years later than their white counterparts. The average age at which children are detected is 4½, according to the CDC.
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