ACCEPTANCE MONTH?

ACCORDING TO RESEARCHERS WITH THE CDC, THERE ARE NEARLY 300,000 AUTISTIC INDIVIDUALS IN ILLINOIS.

>> NAVIGATING NEURODIVERGENT VARIES GREATLY FROM CHILDHOOD THROUGH ADULTHOOD, BUT A TIMELY DIAGNOSIS IS KEY TO GETTING EARLY SUPPORT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WT TW NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY MIDDLE SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM STUDENTS INTRODUCE US TO FAMILIES, ADVOCATES AND RESEARCHERS WORKING ON CREATING ACTIONABLE STEPS.

WHEN KAY LONNY WAS TO MARKET KINDS BEGAN NOTICING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN KAY LONNY AND HER OTHER CHILDREN.

>> I HAD CONCERNS I JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR THE DOCTOR WAS THAT.

>> OH, SHE'S YOUNG TOOBIN NEED.

AND THE MOTHER, I AM.

AND THE TEACHER MIZE SAID, I'M LIKE, NO, SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT.

BECAUSE MY CHILDREN TALK AT 2.

>> AS A TEACHER FOR YOUNG KIDS KINDS WAS ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH THE SIGNS OF DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS IN CHILDREN.

IT WAS THROUGH A COLLEAGUE THAT SHE FOUND THE NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY PROGRAM CALLED REDUCE THE AND SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY.

>> WITH THEY'RE CONSTANTLY IN CONTACT WITH ME EVEN AFTER LIKE WE'VE HAD VALUATION PERE FOR MANY FAMILIES GETTING THIS KIND OF HELP IS DIFFICULT.

>> EVALUATION WAIT.

TIMES ARE MAJOR BARRIER IN ILLINOIS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

WAIT TIMES FOR CHILD ALTARS OF EVALUATIONS.

TRIPLE FROM 6 MONTHS TO 18 MONTHS.

THE TIME DROPPED TO ONE MONTH.

THANKS TO REDUCE THE WAY WITH 3 MILLION DOLLARS IN FEDERAL FUNDING.

RESEARCHERS STUDY HOW TO EXPAND THE TYPES OF PROFESSIONALS WHO CAN ISSUE A DIAGNOSIS.

CURRENTLY IN ILLINOIS, ONLY PHYSICIANS AND CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST CAN DO THE WAY TO REDUCE THE BOTTLENECK WOULD BE TO SAY, IS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE MODEL IN WHICH WE CAN BRING PROFESSIONS IN 2?

>> THE FOLD AND CHANGE WHO CAN DIAGNOSE AUTISM.

ROBERTS ISSUES INSURANCE RECOGNIZE DIAGNOSES TO ELIGIBLE FAMILIES.

COULD WE SEE IF SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS ARE AS ACCURATE AS WHAT WE CALL OUR CURRENT EXPERTS, WHICH OUR PHYSICIANS AND CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST.

>> EARLY SIGNS OF AUTISM IN YOUNG CHILDREN INCLUDE DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING OTHER PEOPLE'S FEELINGS, HIGHLY RESTRICTED INTERESTS GETTING UPSET BY MINOR CHANGES IN ROUTINE OR SURROUNDINGS AND DOING REPETITIVE BEHAVIORS LIKE ROCKING.

31 YEAR-OLD AND A SPEECH PATHOLOGIST WITH THE REDUCED THE WEIGHT PROGRAM SAYS SHE STRUGGLED WITH SEEING AUTISM TRAITS IN HERSELF.

HER PSYCHIATRIST RECOMMENDED SHE GET AN EVALUATION AT 17.

>> I WAS KIND OF FIGHTING AGAINST HIM AND SAYING THAT I DIDN'T THINK THAT THE DIAGNOSIS FIT ME.

AND THEN HE EVENTUALLY AGREED WITH ME AND YOU'RE CHARMING TO BE AUTISTIC, WHICH ANYONE?

I THINK THAT WOULD COST PEOPLE ROLL THEIR EYES TO HEAR BECAUSE ARTISTIC CHARMING ARE NOT.

USUALLY IT'S SAID, OF COURSE, BY THE PROJECTS REDUCE THE WAIT WILL HAVE WORKED WITH MORE THAN 1000 FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AGE 3 OR UNDER.

>> 40% OF THESE FAMILIES ARE BLACK AND ANOTHER 30% IDENTIFY AS HISPANIC LATINO.

LICENSED PSYCHOTHERAPIST, MARRIED HONOR, SAYS THAT FOR A LONG TIME.

>> AUTISM SIDES HAVE BEEN STUDIED IN WHITE MALE CHILDREN.

ONLY WHICH IS WHY SERVING COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

>> IS IMPORTANT.

>> PEOPLE ARE NOT YOUNG WHITE BOYS OFTEN AUTISM DIAGNOSIS FAR LATER IN LIFE.

THE DIAGNOSIS USUALLY COMES WHEN A CHILD HAS BEEN THROUGH A FEW SERIES OF BURNOUTS.

SO BY THE TIME PEOPLE GET TO THAT POINT, THEY COULD HAVE HAD DIFFERENT ACCOMMODATIONS THAT COULD HAVE PREVENTED THAT WHOLE SORT BREAKDOWN.

>> 36 YEAR-OLD TJ GORDON WAS FIRST DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM AS A CHILD.

AND THEN AGAIN IN 2015, 3 YEARS LATER, HE CO-FOUNDED THE CHICAGO LAND, DISABLED PEOPLE OF COLOR COALITION TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT AUTISM, ACCEPTANCE.

I A SIZE BECAUSE THE WAY I SPEAK.

MAY BE DIFFERENT.

>> I'VE BEEN PROFESSOR FOREIGN BECAUSE THE WAY AND THAT'S WHAT WORDS I'M LEARNING.

HOW TO BE MIGHT SAYS STEALTH.

NOW, BUT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN MASTERFUL SO LONG.

>> CAN BE AS AUTISTIC HAS SOME OUT TO PEOPLE WANT ME TO ACCUSED OF BEING RUDE.

>> SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES ARE FLOODED WITH ADULTS WHO ADVOCATING AUTISM CHANGING ADVICE ABOUT MASKING AND DISCUSSING THE VALIDITY OF SELF YEARS.

RECENT U.S. TICKETS.

SOME EXPERTS SAY THE AVERAGE COST OF AN EVALUATION WITHOUT INSURANCE RANGES FROM MORE THAN 1000 TO $5,000.

GORDON, WHO IS A RESEARCHER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, CHICAGO SAYS EVEN WITH INSURANCE, NOT ALL PROVIDERS FULLY COVER EVALUATIONS THAT CUT DOWN ON.

>> THE WHITE TIMES 4.

GET IN DEPARTMENT TO DIAGNOSED.

I THINK THOSE ARE MAIN BATTLES WE SHOULD WORRY ABOUT.

>> EARLIER DIAGNOSES COULD PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN HOW ADULTS WITH AUTISM MANAGE AND SEE THEMSELVES FOR FAMILIES LIKE HEY, LONNIE'S GETTING HELP EARLY WAS KEY TO SETTING HER UP FOR FUTURE SUCCESS.

>> I FEEL LIKE ONCE YOU GET THE HELP EARLY AND YOU KNOW, GET THE SUPPORT RESOURCES USE THEM.

>> I FEEL LIKE THE CHILDREN DO BETTER AND THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED.

>> SO, YOU KNOW, JUST MAKE A BETTER LIFE.

>> FOR WTW NEWS AND NORTHWESTERN'S MEDILL SCHOOL