Altru Health System - Rehab Autism Screening Clinics

One in 88 children is born with autism – and that ratio is rising. Undiagnosed autism can increase the likelihood of developmental problems later in life, such as language delays, trouble communicating with people, and unusual and repetitive behaviors. As a parent, finding the right diagnosis and support for your child can be lonely and terrifying. The daunting process is often even more difficult in rural areas like North Dakota, where you may have to travel several hours and schedule many expensive medical appointments. Diane Gunderson, director of Altru Health System’s Physical Medicine Program, wanted to help. She applied for a grant to hold no-cost autism screening clinics that feature a multidisciplinary team of pediatricians, physical and occupational therapists, speech language pathologists and social workers. Such teams eliminate the need for many separate appointments, which can be confusing, hard for children with special needs to tolerate, and expensive, time-consuming and overwhelming for parents. Altru Health System’s Rehab Autism Screening Clinics are paid for entirely by donors, meaning that parents can come to the clinic without paying a single dollar. After just one visit, not only do they receive a diagnosis that allows them to obtain the best treatment for their child, but they also have a support system to guide them through the road ahead. To Diane, there is no more rewarding feeling than seeing families leave the clinic with hope and a comprehensive care plan, when they otherwise might leave full of fear and anxiety. While Altru Health started with four screening clinics per year, the demand was so high that now Altru has nearly doubled that number to help even more families – which is almost equally as rewarding to Diane.