As awareness increases for autism spectrum disorders across the U.S., businesses and nonprofits in Cy-Fair are opening up or expanding to cater to a growing demand for services.

Local nonprofits Reach Unlimited and Cy-Hope—both of which help children with intellectual and developmental disabilities—have expansion projects underway. An ongoing capital campaign for Reach is raising money to expand the group’s Learning Activity Center, and Cy-Hope is working on renovations at its new Telge Road headquarters that will allow the organization to double its counseling space.

The increase in demand for services is directly tied to an increase in autism diagnoses nationwide. An estimated 1 in 68 children will be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder this year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This number is up from about 1 in 150 children diagnosed with autism in 2000.

Several new businesses offering services to people on the spectrum have recently opened in Cy-Fair as well.

We Rock the Spectrum, a children’s gym with special sensory equipment, opened last fall. Lana Hornak, the gym’s owner, said growing awareness of autism has many parents looking for specific venues to meet the unique needs of their children.

“The number of kids being diagnosed on the spectrum is growing fast,” said Hornak, whose 7-year-old son has autism. “More than ever before, their experiences are being recognized as legitimate. Parents are seeking out ways to help them, and the movement itself is largely being led by parents who have children on the spectrum.”

Dr. Laura Eskridge provides clinical psychology services focused on children and adults on the autism spectrum at her practice, Shades of the Spectrum. Eskridge said society is at a turning point in terms of recognizing the legitimacy of the autism spectrum. She opened her office on Mueschke Road in Cypress last fall.

“My feedback from my clients has been that there is a dearth of services out here,” she said. “People are realizing that—when it comes to spectrum disorders—the earlier you intervene, the better. It can be straining on a family to have to drive long distances for services several times a week.”

Lauren Whidden, a former Cy-Fair ISD assistant principal who runs the Houston-area nonprofit Social Motion Skills, works with higher-functioning children and teens. Programs include helping connect high schoolers on the spectrum with employment opportunities and helping participants understand social cues and transition into adulthood through the development of other skills, such as cooking and learning how to drive.

Whidden is expanding services as well. She is planning to launch a foundation program in August that will connect teens to internships. She noted that giving these children on the spectrum a chance can often make a huge difference in their lives.

“A big part of what we do also involves talking to the employers themselves and breaking down that barrier of fear they have about hiring a person with autism,” she said. “If you give a child the opportunity to demonstrate their independence, they’ll get that boost in confidence, and then the sky’s the limit.”