What Is Autism? How We Can Help You and Your Child

April 9, 2025

Are you a CHIP or STAR (Medicaid) Community Member? This article is for our Marketplace Members. We have resources dedicated especially for you on The Sun. Click here >>

What Is Autism? How We Can Help You and Your Child

April is Autism Awareness Month. At Community Health Choice, we care about you and your family. We want to help you learn more about autism and how to get support if you need it.

What Is Autism?

Autism is a condition that affects how a person learns, talks, plays, and acts with others. Some kids with autism talk a lot while others may not talk much at all. Some might like being around people and others may like to play alone. Every child with autism is different.

Signs of Autism

If your child has autism, you might notice:

They don’t look at you or make eye contact
They don’t answer when you call their name
They like to play the same way over and over
They get upset when things change
They repeat words or actions a lot
They may not make friends easily or feel comfortable in social environments
They may learn differently or at a slower pace, including speaking and understanding gestures and body language

These are just a few signs of autism. Only a doctor can tell for sure.

What Should You Do?

If you think your child might have autism, talk to their doctor. The doctor can do a checkup or send you to a specialist for additional testing. The sooner you know, the sooner you can help your child learn and grow.

Help Is Out There

An autism diagnosis may feel like a lot for parents to manage. But the good news is that you are not alone! You can talk to your doctor about things like speech and learning therapy, how to ask for special help at school, and where to find family support groups.

If you need help finding a doctor or autism resources, you can call us:

CHIP/STAR Members: 713.295.2294 or 1.888.760.2600 (TTY 7-1-1)
STAR+PLUS Members: 713.295.2300 or 1.888.435.2850 (TTY 7-1-1)
Marketplace Members: 713.295.6704 or 1.855.315.5386 (TTY 7-1-1)
Medicare (D-SNP) Members: 713.295.5007 or 1.833.276.8306 (TTY 7-1-1)

Additional Resources

The Harris Center for Autism Services: https://www.theharriscenter.org/what-autism
Autism Speaks: autismspeaks.org
Easter Seals of Greater Houston: https://eastersealshouston.org/services/autism/