TY - JOUR
T1 - Child Age at Time of First Maternal Concern and Time to Services Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
AU - Van Dyke, Julia
AU - Rosenberg, Steven A.
AU - Crume, Tessa
AU - Reyes, Nuri
AU - Alexander, Aimee Anido
AU - Barger, Brian
AU - Fitzgerald, Robert
AU - Hightshoe, Kristina
AU - Moody, Eric J.
AU - Pazol, Karen
AU - Rosenberg, Cordelia R.
AU - Rubenstein, Eric
AU - Wiggins, Lisa
AU - Diguiseppi, Carolyn
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
PY - 2024/7/1
Y1 - 2024/7/1
N2 - Objective:Early treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can improve developmental outcomes. Children with ASD from minority families often receive services later. We explored factors related to child's age at time of mother's first concerns about child's development and subsequent time to service initiation among children with ASD.Methods:Analysis included 759 preschool-age children classified with ASD based on comprehensive evaluations. Factors associated with retrospectively reported child age at time of first maternal concern and subsequent time to service initiation were investigated using multiple linear regression and Cox proportional hazards.Results:Earlier maternal concern was associated with multiparity, ≥1 child chronic condition, externalizing behaviors, and younger gestational age, but not race/ethnicity. Time to service initiation was longer for children of non-Latino Black or other than Black or White race and higher developmental level and shorter for children with ≥1 chronic condition and older child age at first maternal concern.Conclusion:Parity, gestational age, and child health and behavior were associated with child age at first maternal concern. Knowledge of child development in multiparous mothers may allow them to recognize potential concerns earlier, suggesting that first time parents may benefit from enhanced education about normal development. Race/ethnicity was not associated with child's age when mothers recognized potential developmental problems; hence, it is unlikely that awareness of ASD symptoms causes racial/ethnic disparities in initiation of services. Delays in time to service initiation among children from racial/ethnic minority groups highlight the need to improve their access to services as soon as developmental concerns are recognized.
AB - Objective:Early treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can improve developmental outcomes. Children with ASD from minority families often receive services later. We explored factors related to child's age at time of mother's first concerns about child's development and subsequent time to service initiation among children with ASD.Methods:Analysis included 759 preschool-age children classified with ASD based on comprehensive evaluations. Factors associated with retrospectively reported child age at time of first maternal concern and subsequent time to service initiation were investigated using multiple linear regression and Cox proportional hazards.Results:Earlier maternal concern was associated with multiparity, ≥1 child chronic condition, externalizing behaviors, and younger gestational age, but not race/ethnicity. Time to service initiation was longer for children of non-Latino Black or other than Black or White race and higher developmental level and shorter for children with ≥1 chronic condition and older child age at first maternal concern.Conclusion:Parity, gestational age, and child health and behavior were associated with child age at first maternal concern. Knowledge of child development in multiparous mothers may allow them to recognize potential concerns earlier, suggesting that first time parents may benefit from enhanced education about normal development. Race/ethnicity was not associated with child's age when mothers recognized potential developmental problems; hence, it is unlikely that awareness of ASD symptoms causes racial/ethnic disparities in initiation of services. Delays in time to service initiation among children from racial/ethnic minority groups highlight the need to improve their access to services as soon as developmental concerns are recognized.
KW - access to services
KW - autism spectrum disorder
KW - early intervention
KW - health disparities
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85201436519&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/DBP.0000000000001283
DO - 10.1097/DBP.0000000000001283
M3 - Article
C2 - 38896561
AN - SCOPUS:85201436519
SN - 0196-206X
VL - 45
SP - e293-e301
JO - Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
JF - Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
IS - 4
ER -