Factors affecting the age at diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders in Nova Scotia, Canada

Abstract

While early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is essential for ensuring timely access to early intervention services, there is limited existing literature investigating factors that delay this diagnosis. This population-based cohort study explored the age at which children in Nova Scotia, Canada, are diagnosed with ASDs and the factors associated with this age. Children diagnosed with an ASD between January 1992 and December 2005 were identified from a cohort of live births in the province between 1990 and 2002. Demographic and clinical variables were extracted from population-based perinatal and administrative health databases and evaluated as predictors of age at ASD diagnosis. Of 122,759 live births, 884 cases of ASDs were identified during the study period. The median age at diagnosis within the cohort was 4.6 years. In adjusted linear regression analysis, a one year increase in maternal age at delivery was associated with a 0.06 decrease in age at ASD diagnosis (p= .0007). Children who were residents of Halifax County received their diagnoses 0.52 years later than residents of other counties (p= .0054). A diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was associated with a 1.29-year increase in age at diagnosis (p< .0001). These results suggest that potential exists for improving early detection of ASDs in the province. Future research in this field has the potential to contribute to our understanding of the causal pathways linking the demographic and clinical variables we have identified and the age at diagnosis of ASDs.

Late Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder After Initial Negative Assessment by a Multidisciplinary Team

“…The presence of other developmental concerns or diagnoses may have masked or overshadowed an ASD diagnosis. 4,5,16 Indeed, in our cohort, we found that many children were diagnosed initially with developmental language disorders and motor difficulties, and almost half of the sample was diagnosed with ADHD features and behavior problems. 2.…”

The Age at Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children in Japan

“…There have been several reviews and large-scale study reports of age at ASD diagnosis [8–10]. However, studies of age at ASD diagnosis have major problems.…”

" Το Παιδί Σας Έχει Αυτισμό!" Και Τώρα...τι Γίνεται; Συμβουλευτική Γονέων Παιδιών Με Αυτισμό

“…Σε άιιε έξεπλα νη γνλείο αλαθέξνπλ όηη θαηά ηνπο πξώηνπο κήλεο ηα παηδία ηνπο αλαπηύζζνληαη θαλνληθά θαη από ηελ ειηθία 18-24 κελώλ άξρηζαλ λα παξαηεξνύλ ζπκπεξηθνξέο πνπ δεκηνπξγνύζαλ αλεζπρία αιιά αξρηθά ζεσξήζεθε ζαλ ραξαθηεξηζηηθό ηεο αλάπηπμήο ηνπο (Fernandez-Alcántara et al, 2016).Δίλαη γεγνλόο όηη γηα ηνπο γνλείο είλαη κηα πνιύπινθε δηαδηθαζία ε παξαηήξεζε θαη ε αλαγλώξηζε εθείλσλ ησλ ζηνηρείσλ πνπ παξαπέκπνπλ κε ζαθήλεηα ζηνλ απηηζκό λσξίηεξα ησλ 24 κελώλ εηδηθόηεξα αλ είλαη ην πξώην παηδί γηα λα γίλεη έγθαηξε παξέκβαζε (Frenette et al, 2011). Όζν ηα πξνεηδνπνηεηηθά ζεκάδηα απμάλνληαη, μεθηλά έλα «ηαμίδη» αλαδήηεζεο ησλ αηηηώλ αλάκεζα ζε δηάθνξεο εηδηθόηεηεο ηνπ θιάδνπ ηεο πγείαο κέρξη ηελ ηειηθή δηάγλσζε Γηαηαξαρή Απηηζηηθνύ Φάζκαηνο (Fernandez-Alcántara et al, 2016).…”

“…Από ην θιάκα ηνπ ζξήλνπ έσο ηελ αθνζίσζε ζηε δνπιεηά ώζηε λα απνθεύγεη ην «πξόβιεκα», θάζε ηξόπνο εθδήισζεο αλαγλσξίδεηαη σο δηθαίσκα θαη γηα ην ιόγν απηόο είλαη ζεβαζηόο. Ζ έθθξαζε απηνύ ηνπ ζπλαηζζήκαηνο δίλεη ηε δπλαηόηεηα απειεπζέξσζεο ηεο ζπζζσξεπκέλεο έληαζεο ηνπ πόλνπ (AutismSpeaks, 2014;2011), (Νόηαο, 2005). …”