Young children with autism spectrum disorder, and their families who don t know it yet, are another victim of the coronavirus pandemic, according to experts.
Professionals in New Jersey say the COVID-19 crisis, which has been impacting the state since March 2020, is likely delaying early diagnosis of the developmental disorder among countless youth. Delaying care, delaying an assessment, delaying a diagnosis even 11 months, that can be a very long time, especially when you re talking about a kid that might only be 26 months old, Matthew Hess, CEO of Cherry Hill-based First Children Services, told New Jersey 101.5.
One obvious barrier, Hess said, is that many children who ve aged into the public school system, and would otherwise be face to face with education professionals who can spot potential signs of autism, continue to learn remotely or in a hybrid fashion.