By Brianna Patt
How does discrimination hold back Black kids with autism, and how can we help them flourish instead of fail?
In an article by WUFT news in Florida, it typically takes a year and a half longer for Black children to receive a diagnosis as opposed to White children, with them more likely to receive a misdiagnosis. They go on to , Black children are misdiagnosed with emotional and behavioral disorders, as well as educational disabilities.
WUFT suggests this may be due to what the research is largely based on early systematic data on Autism, which is largely based on a 1943 study, were done using a data pool of young white men.
“Autism doesn’t discriminate between race or gender, but how it presents might. Typical screenings are more likely to capture autism in white male children in part because those are most of the children being studied,” Katie Hyson of WUFT stated.
The uniform nature of how these studies have been done results in a subsequent gap in knowledge and education regarding the Black community. For instance, in over 1,000 autism intervention studies from 1998 to 2017, only 252 added in race/ethnic data. This translates into a lack of proper resources. For instance, Yvonne Westerman, took her grandson to a doctor after he suddenly stopped speaking. She was told he was overall fine, just delayed. This diagnosis made it harder to get him behavioral analysis therapy.
“She’s noticed what some caretakers around her have. How did they get that tablet that allows non-verbal children to communicate? How did they obtain quality, consistent therapy so many years before she did? She’s watched their children learn to speak, use the potty, enroll in school. Yvonne Westerman needs help. And she doesn’t have time to get it,” Hyson stated.
How Misdiagnosis Feeds the School to Prison Pipeline
A lack of proper treatment and resources for Autism Spectrum DIsorder can also lead to Black autistic children falling into the school to prison pipeline. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, Black students who have disabilities are three times as likely to be suspended and four times more likely to be sent to correctional facilities.
When Black students are given a diagnosis for their Autism, the special education classes they are placed in can still disproportionately punish them. According to the Department of Education circa 2018-2019, Black students were more likely to experience disciplinary removals (out of 100 students) than any other race of students.
Resources to Help Black Students in Need
If you’re the parent of an autistic child, you can look into Dallas ISD programs like Total Communication (TC) which is designed to offer support, predictability and structure. This program is for students 5-22.
There’s also the Center for Children with Autism at Metrocare which offers Applied Behavioral Analysis, assessments, one on one therapy and parent training. Metrocare accepts BCBS, Cigna, Magellan, Tricare (Humana), Aetna, UBH/UHC, Scott & White and Medicaid (via General Revenue Fund.
