Time to Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children with Coexisting Developmental Behavioral Disorders. 2022

Deanna Lau, and David J Tybor, and Ellen Perrin, and Christina Sakai
Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Tufts Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.

Our study evaluates whether having an alternate developmental behavioral disorder (DBDs) diagnosis before diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is associated with delays in diagnosis in a nationally representative sample. Data were obtained from the 2011 National Survey of Pathways to Diagnosis and Services, a survey of children aged 6 to 17 years with ASD, developmental delay, or intellectual disability. A total of 1049 children met inclusion criteria for this study. Of these, 799 children were identified as "late" diagnosis if >12 months elapsed between the age parents reported concerns to a provider and age of ASD diagnosis and 250 as "timely" diagnosis if the gap was ≤12 months. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to look for association between having an alternate DBDs diagnosed before ASD and "timely" versus "late" ASD diagnosis. The mean time elapsed between the age parents reported concerns to a provider and age of ASD diagnosis was 51 months for children with an alternate DBDs diagnosis before receiving ASD diagnosis and 29 months for those diagnosed with alternate DBDs concurrently with ASD. Having alternate DBDs diagnosis before diagnosis with ASD was associated with "late" ASD diagnosis as follows: developmental delay (adjusted odds ratio [aOR,] 3.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.86-6.42; p < 0.001), intellectual disability (aOR, 9.75; 95% CI, 3.0-31.60; p = 0.04), attention-deficit disorder (aOR, 11.07; 95% CI, 3.43-35.71; p < 0.001), depression (aOR, 8.05; 95% CI, 1.07-60.03; p = 0.0495), and behavioral conduct disorder (aOR, 9.9; 95% CI, 3.55-27.62; p < 0.001). These findings highlight the importance of research to improve the early diagnosis of ASD even in the presence of coexisting developmental behavioral disorders.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008607 Intellectual Disability Subnormal intellectual functioning which originates during the developmental period. This has multiple potential etiologies, including genetic defects and perinatal insults. Intelligence quotient (IQ) scores are commonly used to determine whether an individual has an intellectual disability. IQ scores between 70 and 79 are in the borderline range. Scores below 67 are in the disabled range. (from Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1992, Ch55, p28) Disability, Intellectual,Idiocy,Mental Retardation,Retardation, Mental,Deficiency, Mental,Intellectual Development Disorder,Mental Deficiency,Mental Retardation, Psychosocial,Deficiencies, Mental,Development Disorder, Intellectual,Development Disorders, Intellectual,Disabilities, Intellectual,Disorder, Intellectual Development,Disorders, Intellectual Development,Intellectual Development Disorders,Intellectual Disabilities,Mental Deficiencies,Mental Retardations, Psychosocial,Psychosocial Mental Retardation,Psychosocial Mental Retardations,Retardation, Psychosocial Mental,Retardations, Psychosocial Mental
D010290 Parents Persons functioning as natural, adoptive, or substitute parents. The heading includes the concept of parenthood as well as preparation for becoming a parent. Step-Parents,Parental Age,Parenthood Status,Stepparent,Age, Parental,Ages, Parental,Parent,Parental Ages,Status, Parenthood,Step Parents,Step-Parent,Stepparents
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002675 Child, Preschool A child between the ages of 2 and 5. Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000067877 Autism Spectrum Disorder Wide continuum of associated cognitive and neurobehavioral disorders, including, but not limited to, three core-defining features: impairments in socialization, impairments in verbal and nonverbal communication, and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviors. (from DSM-V) Autistic Spectrum Disorder,Autism Spectrum Disorders,Autistic Spectrum Disorders,Disorder, Autistic Spectrum
D015995 Prevalence The total number of cases of a given disease in a specified population at a designated time. It is differentiated from INCIDENCE, which refers to the number of new cases in the population at a given time. Period Prevalence,Point Prevalence,Period Prevalences,Point Prevalences,Prevalence, Period,Prevalence, Point,Prevalences

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