Children with traits of autism are missing out on diagnosis and help due to lockdown in Milton Keynes

Research conducted by Autism Parenting Magazine has revealed many children face being misdiagnosed or undiagnosed due to lockdowns over the last six months.

The research shows more than 128,160 nationally could be affected

Experts are also warning that wait times for key appointments will rise over the coming months.

Reports suggest that, due to closures and limited resources, parents are finding it increasingly difficult to confirm signs of autism and access routes to diagnosis.

According to Google, searches for ‘early signs of autism in babies’ is up 200 per cent while searches for ‘early signs of autism’ have risen by 100 per cent since April.

In response, the magazine's autism experts have put together a 'signs of autism' checklist for concerned parents. It details signs that can be spotted babies, toddlers and older children.

You can view the free guide here .

Mark Blakely, founder of Autism Parenting Magazine, said: “Parents of children with suspected autism often struggle to pinpoint signs that mean their child is not neurotypical, and without schools, teachers, friends and family to help parents during lockdowns, these children risk further delays to diagnosis.

"Often, it’s a lack of confidence and understanding of the signs parents are seeing which leads to delays in starting the diagnosis journey, but now they’re having to cope with the added pressure of appointment and referral meetings cancelled or postponed even when they do start the process."

Mark added: "“Raising an autistic child means increased outgoings, for therapies, medication, equipment and support such as respite care, while often having to reduce working hours over a child’s lifetime. It’s a scary prospect for parents, even when they feel well supported and listened to in their concerns.

"Early diagnosis can save autistic children and their families a lot of anguish and heartache, as well as time and money in the long run, and we would ask the Government to prioritise reducing waiting times for these families in order to give them that.”

The magazine's research showed wait-times for appointments following first referral are at an all-time high due to unprecedented demand. Latest figures suggest some patients thought to have autism waited over 19 weeks for their first mental health appointments, with an average wait time in 10 out of 25 English health trusts of 137 days, against a target of 91 days."

The Covid-19 pandemic has meant traditional assessments through in-person observation have been unavailable to struggling parents, resulting in longer wait times for diagnosis. Without it, families cannot access vital support and services to help cope with the demands of raising an autistic child, both financially and emotionally.