18 months signals. 20 weeks waiting period. Years in between.
Autism in children is not missed due to a lack of signals. It is missed because the system between signal and help is slow.
Bigger than you think
~18 months
is the age at which the first signs of autism are already visible in many children.
4 to 5 years
is the age at which the diagnosis is often only made in practice, sometimes later.
20 weeks
average waiting time for diagnosis and treatment of autism in mental healthcare, compared to 10 weeks for most other diagnoses.
From pillar to post
According to knowledge organizations in the field of early detection, parents who are concerned at an early stage are regularly referred from one agency to another before an actual investigation is conducted. This takes time that a young developing child does not have.
“The sooner autism is recognised, the sooner the child and the parents receive the right help. Yet many children are not diagnosed until the age of 4 or 5.”
It is not in the patient, but in the look
Signals resemble normal behavior
In young children, early signals are sometimes dismissed as a phase, especially if the child is cheerful at other times. happens.
Fragmented route to diagnosis
Consultation agency, GP, school and youth doctor do not always work together seamlessly, so parents have to coordinate themselves.
Structurally long waiting times
Autism has been at the top of mental health diagnoses for years with the longest waiting time for diagnosis and treatment.
What does and does not count
What is visible
- Children who ultimately receive a diagnosis
- Treatment outcomes of early intervention programs
- National average waiting time figures
What is invisible remains
- How many months or years passed between initial care and diagnosis
- Families stuck between agencies without anyone in control tackled
- The development opportunities that were lost in the waiting period
Where these figures come from
Signs around 18 months, diagnosis often only at 4 or 5 years
Diagnosis possible from 24 months
20 weeks average waiting time, longest of almost any diagnosis
Regional waiting times up to a year
Puberty as a vulnerable phase
🏎 Need immediate help?
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