Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability. As it stands now, about 1 in every 166 children born in the U.S. will have it. The uptick in the disability has parents clamoring for earlier intervention in a field facing a shortage of adequately trained professionals.

As a result, startup Virtual Expert Clinics has built an online, subscriber-based guidance system for those who care for children with autism. And on Monday, the program called AutismPro made its official debut.

The program works to help parents assess and build a treatment program based specifically on their child's needs. The program also includes multimedia assistance, like video clips, to help clear up possible confusion about how to implement a particular activity.

Autism is a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain. Those with autism demonstrate significant impairments in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and the presence of unusual behaviors and interests.

“The job of finding the right information and making the right decisions is very overwhelming,” said the Fredericton, New Brunswick-based company’s CEO Cynthia Howroyd.

In going with the online software program, “it saves time, money, and lowers stress considerably for patients and professionals,” said Ms. Howroyd. She says AutismPro can also be used to support and coordinate the child’s community of caretakers, like teachers and therapists.   

After a child has been diagnosed with autism early intervention is best, most experts say. It is at this time that developmental intervention can generate the best results. Experts also recommend working with children as early as pre-school intensively for at least 20 hours a week, for at least two years.

Yet according to Ms. Howroyd, families often face months of waitlists and red tape before accessing treatment. It can also ring up quite the bill. Families who opt for private treatment can find themselves spending up to $100,000 a year for care.

About $90 billion is spent on people with autism each year. Annual costs associated with autism are predicted to reach $200-400 billion in the next decade, affecting four million Americans.

But early diagnosis, followed immediately by specialized treatment programs, can bring down lifelong care costs by two-thirds says Ms. Howroyd.

AutismPro aims to ease the burden of gaining instant access to help while folks wait for professional guidance. It can also be used to give parents the intensive ongoing support to carry out treatment for their autistic child.

To get in with AutismPro caregivers will have to fork over a one-time $600 set up fee and $100 monthly subscription thereafter.

Ms. Howroyd is clear that AutismPro does not interrupt or replace clinical expertise, but complements it.

By training Ms. Howroyd is a speech language pathologist. Frustrated with her ability to provide efficient and affordable guidance for families with autistic children, she decided to build a “virtual autism clinic.” In 2004 she founded Virtual Expert Clinics.

The company has been financed with a $4 million combination of debt and equity. About $2.7 million is from two-rounds of venture capital.

The next move for the company is to expand AutismPro for all ages. The current version is for ages two to seven.

Contact the writer: RBarron@RedHerring.com

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