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Autistic spectrum disorder: a child population profile
1St George's Hospital, London, UK. daphne.keen@stgeorges.nhs.uk
Summary
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnoses doubled, likely due to increased recognition in females and children with ADHD. Cognitive abilities varied widely across educational settings, with poor correlation to actual placement.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Pediatric Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis and characteristics require ongoing study.
- Understanding comorbidity, educational needs, and cognitive abilities is crucial for autistic children.
- Prevalence rates and diagnostic trends evolve with increased awareness and diagnostic criteria.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the prevalence, comorbidity, educational provision, and cognitive abilities of autistic children.
- To investigate trends in ASD diagnosis over a defined period.
- To explore the relationship between diagnosis, comorbidity, cognitive function, and educational placement.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of health district records for children born between 1983 and 1996.
- Examination of diagnostic data, comorbidity patterns (including ADHD), and cognitive assessments.
- Correlation of age at diagnosis with school placement and analysis of cognitive ability levels.
Main Results:
- Recorded ASD diagnoses doubled over a 4-year period, suggesting improved recognition, particularly in higher-ability children, those with ADHD, and females.
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was a significant comorbidity.
- Cognitive abilities varied significantly, from severe learning difficulties to above average, across both special and mainstream educational settings.
- A high percentage of mainstream pupils exhibited exceptionally low verbal abilities.
- Cognitive function measures showed a weak correlation with actual educational placement.
Conclusions:
- Increased recognition of ASD, especially in previously underdiagnosed groups, contributed to rising prevalence rates.
- Comorbidity, particularly ADHD, is a key factor in the presentation of ASD.
- Cognitive and verbal abilities in autistic children are diverse and do not consistently predict educational placement.
- Educational provisions may not fully align with the measured cognitive profiles of autistic students.