Telehealth Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder Communities

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the United States to be 2.7%.1 Importantly, diagnosis at age 4+ is considered delayed, as patients with ASD can be diagnosed and receive treatment as early as 2 years of age. Delays in diagnosis can be partially explained by factors such as a lack of trained specialists and long waitlists to see existing specialists, especially in rural or under-resourced areas. Early interventions for ASD are considered best practice, so delays in diagnosis are consequential. To reduce this gap in developmental screening, telehealth has been explored as a potential delivery method for diagnostic services that could increase access for at-risk communities.