While autism specialists are crucial in the diagnosis and treatment of children with autism, primary care providers are very often the first to care for children with autism.
Two new studies reveal a range of barriers these clinicians face in recognizing and treating autism symptoms, as well as evidence that an innovative tele-mentoring program – ECHO Autism – helps reduce these barriers.
The research, led by Micah Mazurek, professor and director of the University of Virginia’s Supporting Transformative Autism Research initiative, and Kristin Sohl, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Missouri, offers promising insight into improving care for children with autism.
“As the prevalence of autism continues to rise, primary care providers are caring for more and more children with autism in their practices,” Mazurek said. “These providers are prepared to diagnose and treat an incredibly wide range of medical issues, yet they receive very little formal training about autism.” said professor Micah Mazurek
Mazurek and her colleagues are working to understand how to better support primary care providers in caring for their patients with autism by learning more about providers’ perspectives and by using that knowledge to inform new models for training and mentorship. The providers in the study included pediatricians, family medicine physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
According to the article published in The Journal of Pediatrics, the most common barriers reported by primary care providers related to a lack of knowledge and confidence in providing effective care and resources for children with autism. In fact, 85% of PCPs in the study identified a lack of confidence in managing behavior as a significant barrier to caring for children with autism, and 81% reported limited knowledge about autism resources.
According to Mazurek, there are not enough autism specialists to meet the needs of most communities. Families seeking access to autism specialists can face months-long waitlists and hundred-mile drives. In fact, 64% of PCPs in the study reported a lack of access to autism specialists as a barrier.
