Finding the appropriate care for a child diagnosed with autism can be a complex and challenging journey. Each child with autism is unique, requiring tailored approaches and specialized support. Parents often encounter difficulties in locating services that match their child's specific needs, considering the wide spectrum of autism.

Accessibility to comprehensive and appropriate care, including behavioral therapy, can be limited and expensive. Navigating the healthcare system, understanding available resources, and advocating for the best possible care can be overwhelming and time-consuming.

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Just Parent is bridging the gap in behavioral healthcare by offering parent-led Applied Behavior Analysis, covered by insurance. Get started today.

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There are three widely recognized levels to an autism diagnosis.

Level I:‍

• Often has ability to speak in full sentences but generally avoids conversations with others
• Loses interest in activities or topics easily
• Struggles to make new friends
• Engages in inflexible or repetitive behaviors
• Mildly struggles with new environments or changes in their routine
• May require mild to moderate support

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Level II:

• Often uses brief sentences and may respond inappropriately
• Has very narrow, rigid interests
• May have a strict diet and refuse new foods
• Engages in inflexible and repetitive behaviors that interfere with daily living skills
• Moderately struggles with new environments and changes in their routine
• May require moderate to substantial support

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Level III:

• Often has severe deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication skills and often gets frustrated with the inability to express themselves
• Extensively avoids social interactions
• Engages in rigid repetitive behaviors and rituals that significantly impair functioning in all areas
• Often has a very strict, narrow diet regimen and refuses new foods
• Severely struggles with new environments and changes in their routine
• Requires substantial support

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Current options for different levels of ASD diagnoses

Finding supportive care for a child who is diagnosed with autism is critical to helping them gain greater independence. The earlier the child is connected to appropriate care, the more likely they are able to develop skills that increase their quality of life and reduce challenging behaviors. Additionally, getting the child into services earlier can result in substantial savings in medical and therapeutic costs across the child’s lifetime, as they will require less support as they continue to gain greater independence through their care.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is an evidence-based practice of changing behaviors to help patients develop critical skills required to become more independent and successful. ABA is considered the gold standard of care for children diagnosed with ASD.

An in-person ABA clinic is an excellent support system for some children diagnosed with ASD. ABA clinics commonly offer 1-on-1 support for children who need intensive therapy.

Unfortunately, the current ABA system cannot effectively support all levels of ASD diagnoses. ABA providers often only accept patients with high acuity needs, leaving patients with Level I and Level II diagnoses with limited options for care.

Clinics often prioritize younger children, and graduate older individuals after age five or six. Unfortunately, most diagnoses happen between the ages of 5 and 12, yet these children and their families are often left without resources or support. If an ABA provider does accept patients with Level I and Level II diagnoses, they are often put on a lengthy waitlist that can last up to two years. Parents and family members are not involved in their child’s progress or taught how to implement these programs at home to maintain consistency in care across environments.

While finding care for a child diagnosed with Level I or Level II ASD can be challenging, it is crucial to seek appropriate ABA care. The neuroplasticity of a younger child allows for greater learning abilities and long-term behavior change. Should the child go without needed care, their behaviors can escalate or quickly develop into additional challenging behaviors. By teaching appropriate coping mechanisms, the child is less likely to engage in disruptive or harmful behaviors, leading to a higher quality of life for them and their families. Timely behavioral therapy can greatly improve the level of independence reached by the child and significantly modify the outcome of their diagnosis.

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What Just Parent can do to support families with limited resources

At Just Parent, we are dedicated to helping families identify and find the right treatment option. We specifically focus on providing the much-needed resources and support for children diagnosed with Level I and Level II ASD. Just Parent provides virtual parent-led ABA, putting families in the center of their child’s progress.

Experienced board-certified clinicians work with parents and caregivers on teaching their child life-changing skills, such as communication skills, behavior coping, daily living and toileting skills, socialization, and eating and diet routines.

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Talantseva, O. I., Romanova, R. S., Shurdova, E. M., Dolgorukova, T. A., Sologub, P. S., Titova, O. S., Kleeva, D. F., & Grigorenko, E. L. (2023). The global prevalence of autism spectrum disorder: A three-level meta-analysis. Frontiers in psychiatry, 14, 1071181. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1071181