Published November 30, 2014 | Version v1
Journal article Open

The Early Diagnosis of Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Norway: a Study of Diagnostic Age and Its Associated Factors

  • 1. Regional Resource Center for Autism, ADHD, Tourette Syndrome, and Narcolepsy, Oslo University Hospital,,Norway

Description

The early identification of autism spectrum disorder is important to ensure access to early intervention. Much research has focused on the identification of early behavioral symptoms and screening. This study examines referral for diagnostic assessment, diagnostic age, and factors associated with diagnostic age for children with autism spectrum disorder. The results of this study indicate that children are referred and diagnosed later than they should be. Previous research has identified a valid time for the identification and diagnosis of this disorder as well as the diagnostic procedures and types of clinics that are associated with the appropriate diagnostic age.

Files

10.21307_sjcapp-2015-014.pdf

Files (528.6 kB)

Name Size Download all
md5:897bff293dedb2814d1343c870f57863
528.6 kB Preview Download

Additional details

References

  • American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.
  • World Health Organization. International classification of diseases and related health problems - 10th revision - 2nd edition. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2004.
  • Jones EJ, Gliga T, Bedford R, Charman T, Johnson MH. Developmental pathways to autism: a review of prospective studies of infants at risk. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2014;39C:1-33.
  • Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson S, Garon N. Early identification of autism spectrum disorders. Behav Brain Res 2013;251:133-146.
  • Rogers SJ, Vismara L, Wagner AL, McCormick C, Young G, Ozonoff S. Autism treatment in the first year of life: a pilot study of infant start, a parent-implemented intervention for symptomatic infants. J Autism Dev Disord 2014: DOI 10.1007/s10803-014-2202-y
  • Wetherby AM, Guthrie W, Woods J, Schatschneider C, et al. Parent-implemented social intervention for toddlers with autism: An RCT. Pediatrics 2014;134(6): DOI 10.1542/peds.2014-0757
  • Koegel LK, Singh AK, Koegel RL, Hollingsworth JR, Bradshaw J. Assessing and Improving Early Social Engagement in Infants. J Posit Behav Interv 2013. DOI: 10.1177/1098300713482977
  • Stenberg N, Bresnahan M, Gunnes N, et al. Identifying children with autism spectrum disorder at 18 months in a general population sample. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2014;28(3):255-262.
  • Samango-Sprouse CA, Stapleton EJ, Aliabadi F, et al. Identification of infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder and developmental language delay prior to 12 months. Autism 2014;19(3):327-337.
  • Koterba EA, Leezenbaum NB, Iverson JM. Object exploration at 6 and 9 months in infants with and without risk for autism. Autism 2014;18(2):97-105.
  • Ozonoff S, Young GS, Landa RJ, et al. Diagnostic stability in young children at risk for autism spectrum disorder: a baby siblings research consortium study. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2015;56(9):988-998.
  • Mazurek MO, Handen BL, Wodka EL, Nowinski L, Butter E, Engelhardt CR. Age at first autism spectrum disorder diagnosis: the role of birth cohort, demographic factors, and clinical features. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2014;35(9):561-569.
  • Barbaro J, Dissanayake C. Autism spectrum disorders in infancy and toddlerhood: a review of the evidence on early signs, early identification tools, and early diagnosis. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2009;30(5):447-459.
  • Shattuck PT, Durkin M, Maenner M, et al. Timing of identification among children with an autism spectrum disorder: findings from a population-based surveillance study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2009;48(5):474-483.
  • Daniels AM, Halladay AK, Shih A, Elder LM, Dawson G. Approaches to enhancing the early detection of autism spectrum disorders: a systematic review of the literature. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2014;53(2):141-152.
  • Lord C, Petkova E, Hus V, et al. A multisite study of the clinical diagnosis of different autism spectrum disorders. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2012;69(3):306-313.
  • Bickel J, Bridgemohan C, Sideridis G, Huntington N. Child and family characteristics associated with age of diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder in a tertiary care setting. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2015;36(1):1-7.
  • Daniels AM, Mandell DS. Explaining differences in age at autism spectrum disorder diagnosis: a critical review. Autism 2014;18(5):583-597.
  • Wiggins LD, Reynolds A, Rice CE, et al. Using standardized diagnostic instruments to classify children with autism in the study to explore early development. J Autism Dev Disord 2015;45(5):1271-1280.
  • Mishaal RA, Ben-Itzchak E, Zachor DA. Age of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis is associated with child's variables and parental experience. Res Autism Spectr Disord 2014;8(7):873-880.
  • Giarelli E, Wiggins LD, Rice CE, et al. Sex differences in the evaluation and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders among children. Disabil Health J 2010;3(2):107-116.
  • Volkmar F, Siegel M, Woodbury-Smith M, et al. Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2014;53(2):237-257.
  • Regional kompetansetjeneste for autisme, ADHD, Tourettes syndrom og narkolepsi. Regional guidelins for the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders [Regional retningslinje for diagnostisering av autismespekterforstyrrelser]. Oslo: Oslo universitetssykehus HF, 2013.
  • Isaksen J, Diseth TH, Schjølberg S, Skjeldal OH. Observed prevalence of autism spectrum disorders in two Norwegian counties. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2012;16(6):592-598.
  • Surén P, Bakken IJ, Lie KK, et al. Differences across counties in the registered prevalence of autism, ADHD, epilepsy and cerebral palsy in Norway. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen 2013;133(18):1929-1934
  • Chawarska K, Paul R, Klin A, Hannigen S, Dichtel LE, Volkmar F. Parental recognition of developmental problems in toddlers with autism spectrum disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2007;37(1):62-72.
  • Shattuck PT, Durkin M, Maenner M, et al. Timing of identification among children with an autism spectrum disorder: findings from a population-based surveillance study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2009;48(5):474-483.
  • Crais ER, Watson LR. Challenges and opportunities in early identification and intervention for children at-risk for autism spectrum disorders. Int J Speech Lang Pathol 2014;16(1):23-29.
  • Chakrabarti S, Fombonne E. Pervasive developmental disorders in preschool children. JAMA 2001;285(24):3093-3099.
  • Magnusson P, Sæmundsen E. Prevalence of autism in Iceland. J Autism Devel Disord 2001;31(2);153-163.
  • Mandell DS, Listerud J, Levy SE, Pinto-Martin JA. Race differences in the age at diagnosis among medicaid-eligible children with autism. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2002;41(12):1447-1453
  • Lingam R. Prevalence of autism and parentally reported triggers in a north east London population. Arch Dis Child 2003;88(8):666-670.
  • Yeargin-Allsopp M, Rice C, Karapurkar T, Doernberg N, Boyle C, Murphy C. Prevalence of autism in a US metropolitan area. JAMA 2003;289(1).
  • Daley TC. From symptom recognition to diagnosis: children with autism in urban India. Soc Sci Med 2004;58(7):1323-1335.
  • Keen D, Ward S. Autistic spectrum disorder: a child population profile. Autism 2004;8(1):39-48.
  • Chakrabarti S, Fombonne E. Pervasive developmental disorders in preschool children: confirmation of high prevalence. Am J Psychiatry 2005;162(6):1133-1141.
  • Juneja M, Mukherjee SB, Sharma S. A descriptive hospital based study of children with autism. Indian Pediatr 2004;42:453-458
  • Mandell DS, Novak MM, Zubritsky CD. Factors associated with age of diagnosis among children with autism spectrum disorders. Pediatrics 2005;116(6):1480-1486.
  • Goin-Kochel RP, Mackintosh VH, Myers BJ. How many doctors does it take to make an autism spectrum diagnosis? Autism 2006;10(5):439-451.
  • Wiggins LD, Baio JON, Rice C. Examination of the time between first evaluation and first autism spectrum diagnosis in a population-based sample. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2006;27(Suppl 2):S79-S87.
  • Latif AH, Williams WR. Diagnostic trends in autistic spectrum disorders in the South Wales valleys. Autism 2007;11(6):479-487.
  • Oslejskova H, Kontrova I, Foralova R, Dusek L, Nemethova D. The course of diagnosis in autistic patients: the delay between recognition of the first symptoms by parents and correct diagnosis. Neuro Endocrinol Lett 2007;28(6):895-900.
  • Chen CY, Liu CY, Su WC, Huang SL, Lin KM. Urbanicity-related variation in help-seeking and services utilization among preschool-age children with autism in Taiwan. J Autism Dev Disord 2008;38(3):489-497.
  • Parner ET, Schendel DE, Thorsen P. Autism prevalence trends over time in Denmark: changes in prevalence and age at diagnosis. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2008;162(12):1150-1156.
  • Williams E, Thomas K, Sidebotham H, Emond A. Prevalence and characteristics of autistic spectrum disorders in the ALSPAC cohort. Dev Med Child Neurol 2008;50(9):672-677.
  • Hertz-Picciotto I, Delwiche L. The rise in autism and the role of age at diagnosis. Epidemiology 2009;20(1):84-90.
  • Nassar N, Dixon G, Bourke J, et al. Autism spectrum disorders in young children: effect of changes in diagnostic practices. Int J Epidemiol 2009;38(5):1245-1254.
  • Ouellette-Kuntz H, Coo H, Lam M, et al. Age at diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders in four regions of Canada. Can J Public Health 2009;100(3):268-273.
  • Perryman TY. Investigating disparities in the age of diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; 2009.
  • Adelman CR. Factors that influence age of identification of children with autism and pervasive developmental disorder NOS. University of Houston; 2010.
  • Mandell DS, Morales KH, Xie M, Lawer LJ, Stahmer AC, Marcus SC. Age of Diagnosis Among Medicaid-Enrolled Children With Autism, 2001–2004. Psychiatr Serv 2010;61(8):822-829
  • Noterdaeme M, Hutzelmeyer-Nickels A. Early symptoms and recognition of pervasive developmental disorders in Germany. Autism 2010;14(6):575-588.
  • Chamak B, Bonniau B, Oudaya L, Ehrenberg A. The autism diagnostic experiences of French parents. Autism 2011;15(1):83-97.
  • Fountain C, King MD, Bearman PS. Age of diagnosis for autism: individual and community factors across 10 birth cohorts. J Epidemiol Community Health 2011;65(6):503-510.
  • Frenette P, Dodds L, MacPherson K, Flowerdew G, Hennen B, Bryson S. Factors affecting the age at diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders in Nova Scotia, Canada. Autism 2013;17(2):184-195.
  • Kalkbrenner AE, Daniels JL, Emch M, Morrissey J, Poole C, Chen JC. Geographic access to health services and diagnosis with an autism spectrum disorder. Ann Epidemiol 2011;21(4):304-310.
  • Rosenberg RE, Landa R, Law JK, Stuart EA, Law PA. Factors affecting age at initial autism spectrum disorder diagnosis in a national survey. Autism Res Treat 2011: DOI 10.1155/2011/874619
  • Coo H, Outelle-Kuntz HMJ, Lam M, et al. Correlates of age at diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders in six Canadian regions. Chronic Dis Inj Canada 2012;32(2):90-100.
  • Valicenti-McDermott M, Hottinger K, Seijo R, Shulman L. Age at diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders. J Pediatr 2012;161(3):554–556.
  • Mazurek MO, Handen BL, Wodka EL, Nowinski L, Butter E, Engelhardt CR. Age at first autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2014;35(9):561–569.
  • Jo H, Schieve LA, Rice CE, et al. Age at autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis by race, ethnicity, and primary household language among children with special health care needs, United States, 2009–2010. Matern Child Health J 2015:19(8):1687-1697.