Although we are approaching the end of Black Futures Month, we hope that the spirit, pride, vision, and positivity that it embodies will continue to endure and thrive. In the world of autism, there are significant delays in diagnosing Black and African American children with autism relative to other groups. (Find this study here) Relatedly, Black and African American children with autism may not receive specialty care, and for those who do, treatment starts later than for other children. (Find this study here)
Both the collective experience of families and research evidence highlight the importance of an informed and inclusive approach to care. Ongoing work in the READi Lab contributes to this mission through our research to develop early autism screening tools that are sensitive to cultural differences and family values. We hope to develop resources that can not only address health inequities and disparities within the autism community, but also celebrate the differences that exist from one individual to the next.
