Autism Defined

Autism is a complex neurological developmental disorder; Presents in wide spectrum of behaviors; Causes difficulty in communicating and interacting with other people; Causes restricted interests and repetitive behaviors.

Physicians diagnosing autism should specify whether a person also has: Intellectual problems, including problems with reasoning and memory; Language problems, such as difficulty with speech; Other related conditions, such as seizures.

Source: National Institutes of Health  

Addressing Autism

By Sean Price Texas Medicine December 2019

 

Physicians also can look for better ways to accommodate patients with ASD, Says Joyce Mauk, MD, a Fort Worth pediatric specialist in neurodevelopmental disabilities and developmental behavior. It’s tempting to look for a formula, but that formula just doesn’t exist because the spectrum of behaviors is so wide.

“They’re individuals like everyone else,” she said. “To have an autism-friendly practice to me is a misnomer. You should have a practice that’s people friendly. People [with disabilities are not] strangely different from everybody else, and they’re very different from each other.”

Going That Extra Mile  

Improving Autism Services

The Texas Medical Association House of Delegates in May 2019 voted to improve treatment for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by: 1) supporting the provision of resources in the community to individuals with autism and to their families in order to provide a more comprehensive spectrum of primary and preventive care to individuals with autism; and 2) encouraging physicians to promote existing resources in order to better accommodate patients with ASD in rural or underserved communities.

TMA Resolution 206 – Care for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)  

New Autism Benefit in Texas Medicaid

The 2019 Texas Legislature directed the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to add intensive behavioral interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a new Medicaid benefit, scheduled to take effect in spring 2020. The new benefit which the Texas Medical Association supported, will:

• Cover people age 20 and younger who have been diagnosed with ASD;
• Focus on interdisciplinary models of care, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and outpatient behavioral health services; and
• Be delivered in home, community, and clinic settings.

Find out more at Texas Autism Council or via email.

General Information on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):

• Health and Human Services – Autism Information
• Autism - CDC
• The Clinician's Guide to Autism

Information for Physicians Treating Patients with ASD

• Identification, Evaluation, and Management of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Association for Science in Autism Treatment – Real Science, Real Hope
• Texas Association for Behavior Analysis
• Care of the Patient with ASD by the Physician
• The Medical Care of Children with Autism
• Primary Care for Adults on the Autism Spectrum
• On Risks and Reality: Communicating the Difference between Autism Risks and Diagnosis