This Mom Is Changing The Conversation About Autism In Communities Of Color

Camille Proctor began noticing changes in her son, Ari, around his second birthday. His communication skills regressed and he grew fascinated with their home ceiling fan, flicking the light switches on and off. That same year, Ari was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It's a disorder that affects 1 in 68 children but often goes unidentified in communities of color. The challenges Proctor faced in the aftermath of her son's diagnosis prompted her to create The Color of Autism, a nonprofit organization aimed at providing support and spreading ASD awareness to communities of color. Though she's managed to provide aid and resources to families in similar situations, there are still many obstacles to overcome. The Road To Diagnosis Statistics and research confirm an inconsistency in autism detection in black and Hispanic communities. According to the most recent data from the CDC, white children are 30 percent more likely to be identified with ASD than black children and 50 percent more likely than Hispanic children. But black or Hispanic children were not less likely to have ASD, so a disparity is clear. "There’s a lack of diversity in stories with children with disabilities," Proctor told The Huffington Post. "And the autism population is really diverse." Proctor, who was born and raised in Detroit, said she started chronicling her son's behaviors early on. "He loved turning lights on and off -- and at that time, it didn’t ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news