Over the last decade, the number of students with autism spectrum disorder enrolled at Cy-Fair ISD has more than doubled, even though total student enrollment has risen by only about 3.5%, according to Texas Education Agency data.
Rebecca Donnell, the director of clinical services at Therapy for Life in Cy-Fair, said she believes awareness is driving the rise in children being diagnosed with autism.
“Much like a lot of diagnoses across the board, I think we’re all just getting more comfortable ... talking about these things and helping propel that awareness,” Donnell said.
What’s happening?
Symptoms of autism vary in severity from person to person and can include delayed communication and learning skills, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
However, a child needs a diagnosis to access treatment for their autism symptoms, said Chris Tillotson, the CEO and founder of Autism Testing 4 Kids, which opened a location in Cy-Fair earlier this year. Getting diagnosed can take between 18 months and two years, he said.
“I can tell you right now, in Houston, there’s a laundry list of kids on a waitlist for this diagnosis," he said.
- CFISD rose 104%
- Public school districts in Region 4 spiked 167%
- Public school districts statewide grew 164%
At least 15 businesses in the Cy-Fair area offer services for people with autism, including Restore ABA & Speech Therapy. The clinic opened last July and serves children 15 months old through teenagers, said Eno Acha, clinic director and qualified behavior analyst.
“The demand for therapy, especially in the Cypress/Cy-Fair area, has ... grown tremendously ... within the past few years,” Acha said.
Yasmin Guerrero, a 3-year-old who was diagnosed with autism at age 2, has grown from being uninterested in speaking to others to being very social, her mom, McCaleb Guerrero, said.
“I feel like people think that autistic kids are dumb, and they are far from it,” Guerrero said. “[They] just think about things a little bit different.”
Diving in deeper
Medical providers can treat autism symptoms through behavioral therapy, developmental therapy and classroom programs, among other methods, according to the CDC.
Many local centers offer Applied Behavior Analysis therapy for children with autism. The purpose of ABA therapy is to address unwanted or harmful behaviors, Acha said.
However, families can face obstacles to receiving proper treatment for their children, including the high cost of therapy without medical insurance coverage, Acha said.
Without insurance, annual costs for intensive treatment ranges from $40,000-$60,000 per child, according to a 2012 CDC report from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network.
The symptoms of autism spectrum disorder can be treated through a variety of methods, including:
- Behavioral
- Developmental
- Educational
- Social-relational
- Pharmacological
- Psychological
- Complementary and alternative
Something to note
ABA therapy, specifically Discrete Trial Training—which targets behavior changes using rewards and punishments—has garnered criticism about the method’s strictness, according to a 2012 study published on the National Library of Medicine’s website.
Donnell said she believes ABA therapy has gotten a bad reputation because some providers don’t individualize their treatment plans. She said she strives to show the “compassionate side” of ABA therapy.
“I really try and encourage ... myself and the other analysts [to] ... learn that child ... and then prepare their day to grow that amazing individual person they are into an independent, functional individual person,” Donnell said.
Growing challenges
While service offerings for children with autism are on the rise, teenagers and adults can be left out of these resources, Acha said.
“We’ve actually had some clients who have been discharged from all their ABA standards because they can no longer handle their behaviors, especially aggression,” Acha said.
But Leslie Martone, president of the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce, said her family has not had a difficult time finding resources for her 24-year-old son, Nate, who has autism. She said they loved the programs he attended in CFISD until he was 22, and he now attends programs at local nonprofit Reach Unlimited four days per week.
Martone said she thinks many families may be fearful to contact nonprofits for help because of the stigma around autism.
“At the end of the day, if [reaching out for help] gets them the help that they need, it helps,” Martone said.
Local resources
- The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD offers employment assistance, and behavioral and talk therapy.
- Best Buddies offers high school, college and adulthood mentors as well as job, adult living and leadership development programs.
- Restore ABA & Speech Therapy provides summer job program for teens and life skills programming.
- Reach Unlimited has group homes, and vocational and learning programs.
