Children in Israel’s ultra-Orthodox and Arab communities are often diagnosed with autism later than the national average, according to a recent article in The Jerusalem Post and a new report by the Taub Center. The delay is not just a bureaucratic inconvenience dressed up as procedure; the article says it means losing precious years when early intervention can affect a child’s future.
Who Waits, Who Decides
The article tells the story of Sawsan, an Arab mother from Sakhnin, who sought help from a speech therapist because of a language delay she noticed in her now two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. The therapist recommended an evaluation by a developmental pediatrician, but the appointment was scheduled months later. While the system made her wait, Sawsan kept going with speech therapy, prepared herself emotionally, and learned about autism on her own.
When the diagnosis came, she focused on finding the right program for her daughter, Israel Elwyn’s early intervention center in Karmiel, despite concerns and opinions from people around her. She said, “I decided not to think about what others might say. My priority was to find the best place for my daughter.” That line lands harder than any polished institutional slogan: a parent navigating delay, judgment, and a maze of services while trying to secure basic support for her child.
The article says early diagnosis is widely recognized as one of the most important factors in helping children with autism develop crucial skills. From the experience of Israel Elwyn, a non-profit organization serving more than 5,600 children and adults with disabilities across Israel, early intervention can change the course of a child’s life. When children receive the right support during their earliest years, they develop communication, learning, and functional skills that significantly increase their chances of entering the workforce and living more independently within their communities.
What the System Delivers, and What It Withholds
Sawsan’s daughter now receives therapy within one integrated setting and follows a structured daily routine. The crying that once stemmed from frustration has significantly decreased, as she has learned new ways to communicate even without spoken language. She began playing with toys in new ways, improved her eating habits, and started interacting more with the people around her. The family feels stronger, and seeing their daughter’s progress has given them renewed optimism for her future.
The article says delayed diagnosis does not stem from a lack of willingness among families to seek help. Instead, the barriers are awareness, accessibility of services, and the diagnostic process itself. One major obstacle is the long waiting period for evaluations at child development clinics. For many families, especially those who cannot afford private assessments costing thousands of shekels, waiting months for an appointment delays the beginning of essential treatment. That is the hierarchy in plain view: those with money can buy speed, while everyone else is left in the queue.
Regional gaps in the availability and accessibility of developmental services also contribute to diagnostic disparities. In Jerusalem, a city of nearly one million residents, child development centers are not always located near the communities that need them most. In some neighborhoods, particularly in East Jerusalem, limited public transportation makes it difficult for parents to reach specialized services. Young families in both the ultra-Orthodox and Arab communities increasingly live independently, sometimes far from their immediate families, and the article says grandparents or relatives often play an important role in identifying developmental concerns and encouraging parents to seek professional advice. As that intergenerational support becomes less accessible, many parents are left navigating uncertainty on their own.
What They Call Reform
Early identification usually begins within the community, at child health clinics, pediatricians’ offices, and child development centers. Research shows that early signs of autism can often be identified during a child’s first year of life. The article says increasing awareness and improving screening tools among community professionals could significantly shorten the path to diagnosis and intervention.
It also says programs that incorporate professionals from within the community, or experts who speak the community’s language and understand its cultural context, often build stronger trust and result in greater engagement. In other words, the people closest to the problem are expected to do more of the work of making the system usable.
The article says investing in early childhood services is not only socially responsible but economically sound, because early intervention can reduce the need for more intensive and costly services later in life while enabling more individuals with autism to participate meaningfully in education, employment, and community life. Israel Elwyn says its services span the life cycle, from early intervention centers for toddlers to transitional programs for youth and young adults, supported employment, and services for seniors.
The article concludes that closing the diagnostic gap requires strengthening early identification within community health services, improving access to diagnostic and therapeutic services, and expanding culturally adapted programs and outreach. Sharon Ehrnwald is identified as assistant CEO for international relations at Israel Elwyn, an organization providing services for people with disabilities across all communities in Israel.