MUSM Rural Autism ECHO: Strategies for Improving Healthcare for Autistic Patients in Rural Georgia

● DSM-5 criteria for autism and examples of behaviors on the spectrum ● Autism red flags ● Autism severity levels and variations in how the DSM-5 autism symptoms can present ● Co-occurring conditions: gastrointestinal issues, sleep disturbances, sensory sensitivities, elopement, motor delays, etc… ● Coping mechanisms: masking, scripting, etc . . . ● Differences in how autism can present in women and girls ● Cultural differences in how autism is perceived: rural communities, Hispanic communities, Asian communities Workshop: ways to talk to parents about autism and autism red flags, different ways that behaviors can manifest, how to discuss autism with people of different cultural backgrounds, how to approach variations in autism presentation