Child and Family Characteristics that Predict Autism Spectrum Disorder Specialty Clinic Appointment Attendance and Alignment with Providers.

Knight et al. (2019) ran a big survey at autism clinics. They asked why some families show up and others do not.

The team looked at travel miles, child age, race, and any past therapy. They tracked first visits and return visits.

Families drove farther, had older kids, or identified as African American missed more appointments. Kids who never had services before also stayed away.

Each barrier stacked up. More barriers meant fewer follow-ups.

Stephens et al. (2018) adds another layer. They show that family adversity, like abuse or neglect, delays diagnosis by months. F et al. gives you the map; L et al. tells you to watch for hidden trauma.

Barton et al. (2019) looked nationwide and found the same race gap. Black children start therapy years later. F et al. shows one reason: they miss clinic slots.

McGarty et al. (2018) agrees on travel pain but adds a fix. Universal screening and more providers shorten wait times. You can’t move the clinic, but you can screen early and offer telehealth.

Check your schedule every Monday. Flag families who drive over 30 miles, have kids older than six, or are African American. Call them first, offer bus vouchers or video intake. These small steps turn no-shows into starts.