Does race influence age of diagnosis for children with developmental delay?

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Developmental Pediatrics
• Health Disparities Research

Background:

• Early identification of developmental delay (DD) is crucial for timely intervention.
• Existing racial disparities in childhood conditions raise concerns about equitable diagnosis ages for DD.
• This study investigates potential racial disparities in the age of developmental delay diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the mean age of diagnosis for developmental delay in children covered by South Carolina Medicaid.
• To test the hypothesis that African American children are diagnosed later than white children.
• To identify racial disparities in the age of developmental delay diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study utilizing South Carolina Medicaid claims data.
• Analysis of diagnostic ages for 5358 children diagnosed with developmental delay.
• Examination of racial differences in the age of first developmental delay diagnosis.

Main Results:

• Mean age at diagnosis was 4.08 years for African American children and 4.27 years for white children.
• Children with DD and mental retardation were diagnosed at an average of 2.6 years.
• Children with DD and cerebral palsy were diagnosed at an average of 2.1 years.
• African American race was associated with younger DD diagnosis in multivariable analysis, though the model had low explanatory power.

Conclusions:

• No clinically significant racial differences were found in the mean age of developmental delay diagnosis.
• The overall age of diagnosis for developmental delay was unacceptably late for both racial groups.
• Enhanced efforts are required to ensure earlier identification of children with developmental delay in South Carolina for early intervention.