Logo image
The Prevalence of Parent-Reported Autism Spectrum Disorder Among US Children
Journal article   Open access

The Prevalence of Parent-Reported Autism Spectrum Disorder Among US Children

Michael D Kogan, Catherine J Vladutiu, Laura A Schieve, Reem M Ghandour, Stephen J Blumberg, Benjamin Zablotsky, James M Perrin, Paul Shattuck, Karen A Kuhlthau, Robin L Harwood, …
Pediatrics (Evanston), v 142(6), p1
Dec 2018
PMID: 30478241
url
https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-4161View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Open Access (License Unspecified) Open

Abstract

Adolescent Adult Autism Spectrum Disorder - diagnosis Autism Spectrum Disorder - epidemiology Autism Spectrum Disorder - psychology Child Child, Preschool Female Health Surveys - trends Humans Male Parents - psychology Prevalence United States - epidemiology Young Adult ESI Highly Cited Paper (Incites)
: media-1vid110.1542/5839990273001PEDS-VA_2017-4161 OBJECTIVES: To estimate the national prevalence of parent-reported autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis among US children aged 3 to 17 years as well as their treatment and health care experiences using the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH). The 2016 NSCH is a nationally representative survey of 50 212 children focused on the health and well-being of children aged 0 to 17 years. The NSCH collected parent-reported information on whether children ever received an ASD diagnosis by a care provider, current ASD status, health care use, access and challenges, and methods of treatment. We calculated weighted prevalence estimates of ASD, compared health care experiences of children with ASD to other children, and examined factors associated with increased likelihood of medication and behavioral treatment. Parents of an estimated 1.5 million US children aged 3 to 17 years (2.50%) reported that their child had ever received an ASD diagnosis and currently had the condition. Children with parent-reported ASD diagnosis were more likely to have greater health care needs and difficulties accessing health care than children with other emotional or behavioral disorders (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, behavioral or conduct problems, depression, developmental delay, Down syndrome, intellectual disability, learning disability, Tourette syndrome) and children without these conditions. Of children with current ASD, 27% were taking medication for ASD-related symptoms, whereas 64% received behavioral treatments in the last 12 months, with variations by sociodemographic characteristics and co-occurring conditions. The estimated prevalence of US children with a parent-reported ASD diagnosis is now 1 in 40, with rates of ASD-specific treatment usage varying by children's sociodemographic and co-occurring conditions.

Metrics

15 Record Views
286 citations in Scopus

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

InCites Highlights

Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:

Highly Cited Paper 
Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Pediatrics
Logo image