Latinos With Disabilities Struggle With Limited Support

The number of Latinos in the United States who have autism is on the rise, but language and cultural barriers can make it tough to find support.

When a Massachusetts advocacy group recently hosted a talk in Spanish about autism, just one family showed up. Experts say the event is not an example of a limited need, but rather a lack of community among Spanish speaking families dealing with developmental disabilities.

While the precise numbers are unclear, experts say there is no doubt that the number of Latinos in the United States who have autism is increasing. But language issues and the stigma that some feel a disability brings mean that these individuals tend to be diagnosed later in life than their peers from other ethnic groups. Furthermore, these factors often mean that Latino families tend to have less support or knowledge of available resources, reports The (Framingham, Mass.) MetroWest Daily News. To read more click here.