OU Health Sciences Center researchers announced a pilot program Wednesday that aims to help physicians catch autism in children at an early age.

The Autism Workforce Initiative includes a training program for physicians and an intensive early intervention program for young children suspected of having autism.

The intervention program is designed for children as young as 15 months old, said Bonnie McBride, principal investigator for the Early Foundations Project.

It is estimated that one in every 110 children is diagnosed with some type of autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“It’s a pretty significant increase in the last 10 years,” McBride said during a news conference.

Children in the program receive 17 hours per week of help, up from the 2 to 4 hours per week currently offered, McBride said. The program includes activities such as intensive teaching, play groups, weekly home visits and monthly education support for parents.

Children enrolled in the program receive 17 hours per week of help through activities such as play groups, intensive teaching involving behavioral techniques, weekly home visits and monthly parent education nights, she said.

The initiative has sites in Oklahoma, Cleveland and Canadian counties, and McBride said plans call for a site in Tulsa County soon.