Commentary: Texas can lead on autism support Luis H. Zayas and Clay Johnston, For the Express-News April 5, 2021 FacebookTwitterEmail The rate of children diagnosed with autism is 1 in 54. Texas needs to continue and expand support services for people with autism.LM Otero /Associated Press Autism can affect any family, regardless of skin color, wealth or religion. During the past 15 years, the rate of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder has grown from 1 in 166 children in 2004 to 1 in 54 today. Boys are four times as likely to be diagnosed with autism as girls. There is no evidence that autism prevalence differs across race or ethnicity, but Black and Latino children and those with limited resources are often underdiagnosed and diagnosed later than their counterparts. This makes it more likely that the services they need will be accessed later and opportunities for early intervention will be missed.