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Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools
Published on: June 20, 2020
Brief Report: Prevalence and Trends of Developmental Disabilities Among US Children and Adolescents Aged 3 to 17
Qing Long1, Chan Xu1, Yunjuan Yang2
1Department of Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangdong Province, 510006, Guangzhou, China.
Purpose:
To assess the prevalence and trends of developmental disabilities among U.S. children and adolescents aged 3-17 years from 2016 to 2024.
Methods:
Using data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS, 2021-2024) and the National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH, 2016-2023). Only NHIS contributed 2024 data, with NSCH through 2023. We calculated the weighted prevalence with 95% confidence intervals for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, learning disability, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, and other developmental delays and examined trends from 2016 to 2024.
Results:
Prevalence increased significantly for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, learning disability, and autism spectrum disorder but remained stable for intellectual disability and other developmental delays. Age-specific analyses revealed distinct distributions: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, learning disability were most common in school-age children, whereas autism spectrum disorder was higher among preschool-aged children compared with older groups.
Conclusion:
The prevalence of developmental disabilities among U.S. children has risen substantially. This persistent upward trend underscores a growing public health challenge, necessitating enhanced early identification, service delivery, and research into the multifactorial drivers behind these increases.
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