WASHINGTONEarly diagnosis is considered key for autism, but minority children tend to be diagnosed later than white children. Some new work is beginning to try to uncover why and to raise awareness of the warning signs so more parents know they can seek help even for a toddler.

"The biggest thing I want parents to know is we can do something about it to help your child," said Dr. Rebecca Landa, autism director at Baltimore's Kennedy Krieger Institute. Landa is exploring the barriers that different populations face in getting that help.

Her preliminary research suggests even when autism is diagnosed in toddlerhood, minority youngsters have more severe developmental delays than their white counterparts. She said cultural differences in how parents view developmental milestones, and how they interact with doctors, may play a role.

Consider: Tots tend to point before they talk, but pointing is rude in some cultures and may not be missed by a new parent, Landa said. Or maybe a mom is worried her son isn't talking but her grandmother says don't worry cousin Harry spoke late too, and he's fine. Or maybe a pediatrician dismissed the parents' concern, and they were taught not to question doctors.

It's possible to detect autism as early as 14 months of age, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that youngsters be screened for it starting at 18 months. While there's no cure, behavioral and other therapies are thought to work best when started very young.

Yet on average, U.S. children aren't diagnosed until they're about 4 years old, according to government statistics.

And troubling studies show that white kids may be diagnosed with autism as much as a year and a half earlier than black and other minority children, said University of Pennsylvania autism expert David Mandell, who led much of that work. Socioeconomics can play a role, if minority families have less access to health care or less education.

But Mandell said the full story is more complex. One of his own studies, for example, found that black children with autism were more likely than whites to get the wrong diagnosis during their first visit with a specialist.

Early warning signs

Dr. Rebecca Landa, autism director at Baltimore's Kennedy Krieger Institute, is developing videos that show typical and atypical behaviors. Among early warning signs:

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Autism in minority children often diagnosed later than in white kids, study says