scholarly journals The diagnostic odyssey of autism: a cross-sectional study of 3 age cohorts of children from the 2016–2018 National Survey of Children’s Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Hanley ◽  
Quynh C. Nguyen ◽  
Deborah Golant Badawi ◽  
Jie Chen ◽  
Tianzhou Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Survey ◽  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Children's Health ◽  
Children’S Health ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age Cohorts ◽  
First Diagnosis ◽  
Developmental Services

Abstract Background Autism prevalence has increased rapidly in recent years, however, nationally representative estimates on the ages of first identification and intervention are out of date. Objectives: (1) To estimate the ages at which children with autism receive their first diagnosis, intervention plan, and developmental services; and (2) To evaluate differences in ages at events by birth cohort and sociodemographic characteristics. Methods Using cross-sectional data from the 2016–2018 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), we examined associations via linear regression among a sample of 2303 children aged 2–17 years old, who had ever been diagnosed with autism and either (1) ever had a plan for special education or early intervention, or (2) ever received special services to meet developmental needs. Exposures included age cohort, child, household and healthcare provider characteristics. Results Most children in the study sample (n = 2303) were over age 6 years, male, of non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity and had mild/moderate autism. Mean ages (years) at first diagnosis was 4.56 (SE = 0.13); first plan was 4.43 (SE = 0.11); and first services was 4.10 (SE = 0.11). After adjustment for exposures and survey year, the middle childhood cohort was 18 months older at first intervention (β = 1.49, 95% CI, 1.18–1.81), and adolescents were 38 months older at first diagnosis (β = 3.16, 95% CI, 2.72–3.60) compared to those in early childhood. Younger ages at events were observed among: Hispanic/Latinx as compared to white children, those with moderate or severe symptoms as compared to mild symptoms, and children who received their diagnosis from a specialist as compared to psychologists or psychiatrists. Conclusions Children with autism receive their first diagnosis, intervention plans and developmental services at younger ages than they had in the past. Future research is needed to identify the mechanisms for these improvements in early identification and intervention to accelerate additional progress.

scholarly journals Food insecurity in the households of children with autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities in the United States: Analysis of the National Survey of Children’s Health Data 2016–2018

Autism ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136236132110191
Author(s):  
Arun Karpur ◽  
Vijay Vasudevan ◽  
Angela Lello ◽  
Thomas W Frazier ◽  
Andy Shih
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Cost Of Care ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Children's Health ◽  
Children’S Health

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder and co-occurring intellectual disabilities experience substantial challenges in accessing needed supports. This research aimed to understand the prevalence and factors associated with food insecurity among families of children with autism spectrum disorder and co-occurring intellectual disabilities. Utilizing the National Survey of Children’s Health (2016–2018) data, this article illustrated that the households of children with autism spectrum disorder and co-occurring intellectual disabilities were about two times more likely to be food insecure than the households of children without disabilities. Furthermore, the households of children with autism spectrum disorder were 1.5 times more likely, and those with other disabilities were 1.3 times more likely to be food insecure than the households of children without disabilities. Implications of these findings in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed. Lay abstract Families of children with autism spectrum disorder are more likely to experience financial strain and resulting food insecurity due to additional cost of care, disparate access to needed services, and loss of income resulting from parental job loss. Utilizing nationally representative data, this analysis indicates that the families of children with autism spectrum disorder and co-occurring intellectual disabilities are twice as likely to experience food insecurity than families of children without disabilities after adjusting for various factors. Several factors, ranging from state-level policies such as Medicaid expansion to individual-level factors such as higher utilization of emergency room services, were associated with the higher prevalence of food insecurity in families of children with autism spectrum disorder and co-occurring intellectual disabilities. Implications of these findings on programs and policies supporting families in the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed.

scholarly journals Adverse Childhood Experiences among American Indian/Alaska Native Children: The 2011-2012 National Survey of Children’s Health

Scientifica ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Kay Kenney ◽  
Gopal K. Singh
Keyword(s):  
American Indian ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Alaska Native ◽  
Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽  
Children's Health ◽  
Children’S Health ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Childhood Experiences ◽  
Adverse Childhood

We examined parent-reported adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and associated outcomes among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children aged 0–17 years from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children’s Health. Bivariate and multivariable analyses of cross-sectional data on 1,453 AI/AN children and 61,381 non-Hispanic White (NHW) children assessed race-based differences in ACEs prevalence and differences in provider-diagnosed chronic emotional and developmental conditions, health characteristics, reported child behaviors, and health services received as a function of having multiple ACEs. AI/AN children were more likely to have experienced 2+ ACEs (40.3% versus 21%), 3+ ACEs (26.8% versus 11.5%), 4+ ACEs (16.8% versus 6.2%), and 5+ ACEs (9.9% versus 3.3%) compared to NHW children. Prevalence rates for depression, anxiety, and ADHD were higher among AI/AN children with 3+ ACEs (14.4%, 7.7%, and 12.5%) compared to AI/ANs with fewer than 2 ACEs (0.4%, 1.8%, and 5.5%). School problems, grade failures, and need for medication and counseling were 2-3 times higher among AI/ANs with 3+ ACEs versus the same comparison group. Adjusted odds ratio for emotional, developmental, and behavioral difficulties among AI/AN children with 2+ ACEs was 10.3 (95% CI = 3.6–29.3). Race-based differences were largely accounted for by social and economic-related factors.

The neighbourhood social environment correlates with meeting 24-hour movement behaviour recommendations in females: a cross-sectional study using the 2019 National Survey of Children’s Health

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan D. Burns ◽  
Christopher D Pfledderer ◽  
You Fu
Keyword(s):  
Social Environment ◽  
National Survey ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Children's Health ◽  
Children’S Health ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Movement Behaviour ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Safe School

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the neighbourhood social environment and meeting recommendations for 24-hour movement behaviours in youth. Participants were a sample of children and adolescents from the 2019 National Survey of Children’s Health (N=21,259; 48.2% female). Knowing where to go for help (OR=2.66, p=0.006) and a safe school environment (OR=1.99, p=0.020) correlated with high probability of meeting 24-hour movement behaviour recommendations in females. Novelty Bullet: • The neighbourhood social environment associates with meeting 24-hour movement recommendations in females.

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