Developmental and Psychiatric Conditions Among 5-7 Year Old Children with Non-persistent and Persistent Autism

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Developmental Pediatrics
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

• Early diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in toddlers is crucial for timely intervention.
• Understanding the co-occurrence of other developmental and psychiatric conditions (DPCs) is essential for comprehensive care.
• Distinguishing between persistent and non-persistent ASD is important for predicting long-term outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the types and frequency of DPCs in early school-age children previously diagnosed with ASD as toddlers.
• To compare the rates of DPCs in children with persistent ASD versus those with non-persistent ASD.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study of 213 children initially diagnosed with ASD at 12-36 months.
• Research assessments at 5-7 years included ASD symptom measures, cognitive, and adaptive functioning evaluations.
• DPCs were identified through parent and research psychologist reports; intellectual disability defined as cognitive score < 70.

Main Results:

• At follow-up, 62.6% had persistent ASD and 37% had non-persistent ASD.
• The most common DPCs were ADHD (27.2%), speech disorder (21.6%), and intellectual disability (21.6%).
• Children with persistent ASD were over 5 times more likely to have an additional DPC compared to those with non-persistent ASD.

Conclusions:

• Children with persistent ASD exhibit significantly higher rates of co-occurring DPCs than those with non-persistent ASD.
• Even children with non-persistent ASD may present with DPCs, including elevated ADHD rates.
• Ongoing assessment for DPCs is recommended for children with a history of early ASD diagnosis.