Trends in Parent-Reported Developmental Disabilities: 2019-2024

To study the national prevalence of 5 developmental disabilities in children 3-17 years in the United States between 2019 and 2024 as well as changes in prevalence by selected demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.

Data come from the National Health Interview Survey, a nationally representative survey of the noninstitutionalized childhood population in the United States, with a focus on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, learning disability, intellectual disability, and other developmental delays. All diagnoses are based on parents reporting what they have been told by a physician or other health care professional. Estimates were calculated overall using survey weights and stratified by select demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Trends were calculated using unadjusted and adjusted logistic regressions.

From 2019-2020 to 2023-2024, even after adjustment, there was an overall increase in the prevalence of any parent-reported developmental disability (16.7% to 20.5%, P < .001), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (9.5% to 12.0%, P < .001), autism spectrum disorder (3.1% to 4.5%, P < .001), learning disability (7.6% to 8.8%, P < .001), and for any other developmental delay (5.5% to 6.4%, P < .05). There was not a significant increase in intellectual disability during this period.

The parent-reported prevalence of developmental disability among US children aged 3-17 years increased between 2019 and 2024. These increases could be related to earlier detection and awareness.