A new study by the Taub Center and the KI Institute has revealed that children in haredi neighborhoods are diagnosed with autism earlier than other children.
The study, published Wednesday, found that autism-related disability benefits were granted to children living in haredi areas at an average age of 4.7 years - a gap of nearly two years compared to children in non-haredi neighborhoods.
The study also showed significant variation in the age of diagnosis across sectors and geographic areas.
In addition, in the Arab sector and in neighborhoods with low socioeconomic status, many high-risk children are not entering the diagnostic system at all and remain outside potentially supportive frameworks, despite being heavily exposed to risk factors.
According to the findings, autism diagnoses in Israel have increased twentyfold over the past two decades - from one in every 1,000 children in 2005 to approximately 20 in 1,000 by 2025 - but this rise has not been equitable, and disparities in access to services persist.