Why it’s hard to get services for children who have autism

April is Autism Acceptance Month, a time to learn, reflect and (I hope) act with and on behalf of the many people who have autism. Despite the increased number of people known to be living with autism, less well-known is just how difficult it can be for them to access beneficial care. Given the somewhat recent changes in the definition of what constitutes autism, an accepted description (from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) states that autism is a condition that results from differences in the way that a brain develops.