--- description: Autism Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Autism Awareness Autism Advocacy Early Autism Detection Early Intervention Child Development Communication Disorders Speech and Language Development Neurodiversity Developmental Delays Special Education Pediatric Health Childhood Development Autism Screening Autism Diagnosis Undiagnosed Autism Autism Support Services Inclusive Education Communication Challenges Social Communication Developmental Disabilities Family Support Child Health Autism Research Early Childhood Education Healthcare Access Disability Inclusion Neurodevelopmental Disorders Cristina Busu title: Cristina Busu on Autism, Communication, and Why Some Children Are Still Overlooked image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfe69f1ec4899948f/6a2ac34b446c1a839414c867/image1_(6).jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- # Cristina Busu on Autism, Communication, and Why Some Children Are Still Being Overlooked  Cristina Busu (Image credit: Cristina Busu) As autism diagnoses continue rising across the United States, broader conversations around developmental support, education, and long-term care are becoming increasingly complex. [1 in 31 eight-year-old children](https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2025/is-there-an-autism-epidemic "undefined") was identified with autism spectrum disorder in 2022, while autism diagnoses overall have increased by approximately 300% over the past two decades, reflecting both expanded awareness and a growing demand for specialized support services. Within that evolving landscape, Cristina Busu, founder of [Help Hope Solutions](https://helphopesolutions.com/ "undefined"), believes one of the biggest misunderstandings surrounding autism is the assumption that children who learn differently are incapable of learning altogether. Help Hope Solutions is a multidisciplinary organization that provides Applied Behavior Analysis, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy services for children with developmental and behavioral challenges. After spending more than two decades working directly with children and families navigating developmental challenges, Busu has continued focusing on communication, social development, and individualized support strategies designed to help children build greater independence and confidence. From Busu’s perspective, the field became personal because she was consistently drawn toward children who were often underestimated. “A lot of people see a child struggling to learn in a traditional way and assume there is no path forward,” Busu says. “I have never believed that. Human beings are learners, and the responsibility is to figure out how that child learns best and what support allows them to communicate, grow, and participate in the world around them.” That perspective continues shaping how she approaches children who are nonverbal or experience significant communication challenges. According to Busu, some children who are unable to speak verbally can still navigate search engines, recognize patterns, or independently locate preferred television programs online. Those observations led her and her team to explore alternative communication strategies, including helping some children learn to type and communicate through text-based technology. “We are living in a world where so much communication already happens through texting and digital platforms,” Busu explains. “If a child can learn to communicate through typing, that can open social opportunities, independence, and connection in ways many people never expected for them.” Busu also believes broader societal changes have contributed to the growing visibility of developmental and social challenges among children and teenagers. While she acknowledges that improved diagnostic tools and increased access to professionals have expanded awareness, she also notes that modern environments place enormous pressure on children to process information quickly and adapt to increasingly fast-paced systems. According to Busu, many schools are placing increasing emphasis on academic performance and information retention during formative years, while social and emotional development often receives less attention in the process. She explains that play, interaction, and unstructured social experiences remain essential to how children build communication skills, emotional regulation, and confidence. “When children lose opportunities to practice social interaction naturally, the effects can become visible later,” Busu says. “Development is not only academic. Social growth and emotional growth matter just as much, especially during early childhood.” She has also observed challenges among adolescents and young adults whose formative school years were disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. [Research](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/382001556%5FThe%5FEffect%5Fof%5FOnline%5FEducation%5Fon%5FChildren's%5FSocialization%5FProcesses%5FDuring%5Fthe%5FPandemic%5FPeriod%5FA%5FCommunication-%5FBased%5FResearch%5Fon%5FFirst%5FGrade%5FPrimary%5FSchool%5FStudents%5FThe%5FEffect%5Fof%5FOnline%5FEducation%5Fon "undefined") examining children’s socialization during periods of online learning found that prolonged isolation contributed to increased social anxiety while also affecting social, emotional, and moral development among students. From Busu’s standpoint, extended periods of virtual learning and remote interaction influenced how many young people developed interpersonal communication skills, emotional regulation, and workplace readiness later in life. At the same time, Busu emphasizes that autism conversations often become oversimplified because the condition exists across a broad spectrum of experiences and support needs. She notes that public discussions frequently focus either on highly independent individuals who openly describe their experiences or on the most severe clinical cases, leaving many families feeling unseen somewhere in between. According to Busu, awareness cannot focus exclusively on one part of the spectrum while overlooking another. Some individuals may require limited accommodations, while others may need substantial communication and behavioral support throughout their lives. She explains that meaningful understanding begins with recognizing those differences rather than assuming every child requires the same approach. “Support does not look identical for every person,” Busu says. “What helps one child may not help another child, and families experience these challenges in very different ways. That is why the conversation has to remain individualized and compassionate.” This case-by-case philosophy has become central to how Busu views both diagnosis and intervention. While she understands concerns surrounding over-pathologizing children, she also notes that diagnoses often provide access to therapies, educational accommodations, and structured support systems that families may otherwise struggle to obtain. From her perspective, the larger issue is ensuring children receive support based on their actual needs rather than reducing them to labels alone. “If a child needs help with communication, social skills, or emotional regulation, then such support should be available,” Busu explains. “The focus should remain on helping children develop the skills that allow them to engage with life more fully and confidently.” For Busu, that principle ultimately returns to the foundation behind [Help Hope Solutions](https://helphopesolutions.com/ "undefined") itself. “For me, the work has never been about deciding what a child cannot do,” Busu says. “It is about refusing to give up on what they may still be capable of becoming when someone is willing to meet them with patience, understanding, and the right support.” Cristina Busu on Autism, Communication, and Why Some Children Are Still Overlooked ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/-partner-name-/cristina-busu-on-autism-communication-and-why-some-children-are-still-being-overlooked/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/-partner-name-/cristina-busu-on-autism-communication-and-why-some-children-are-still-being-overlooked/"},"headline":"Cristina Busu on Autism, Communication, and Why Some Children Are Still Being Overlooked","datePublished":"2026-06-15T14:37:16.524Z","dateModified":"2026-06-11T15:03:53.999Z","description":"Autism Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Autism Awareness Autism Advocacy Early Autism Detection Early Intervention Child Development Communication Disorders Speech and Language Development Neurodiversity Developmental Delays Special Education Pediatric Health Childhood Development Autism Screening Autism Diagnosis Undiagnosed Autism Autism Support Services Inclusive Education Communication Challenges Social Communication Developmental Disabilities Family Support Child Health Autism Research Early Childhood Education Healthcare Access Disability Inclusion Neurodevelopmental Disorders Cristina Busu","url":"https://time.com/branded-content/-partner-name-/cristina-busu-on-autism-communication-and-why-some-children-are-still-being-overlooked/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/-partner-name-/cristina-busu-on-autism-communication-and-why-some-children-are-still-being-overlooked/","name":"Cristina Busu on Autism, Communication, and Why Some Children Are Still Being Overlooked"}}]}] ```