Age of diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in Latino children: The case of Venezuelan children

Abstract

Latino children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder later in life, usually with more severe symptoms, and lower IQs, compared with non-Latino children. Possible reasons for such disparities could be due to lower levels of parent education, lower socioeconomic status, limited knowledge of parents about autism spectrum disorder, and diminished health-care knowledge. The goal of the study was to describe the age of parental concerns and at first autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, and factors associated with age at the first diagnosis in a sample of Venezuelan children. Diagnostic and demographic data were collected from 103 children between 2 and 7 years of age. Although the mean age of first concerns was 17 months, the age of diagnosis varied from 53.03 months for the Pervasive Developmental Disorders-Not Otherwise specified group to 54.38 months for the autism group. Although parents were aware of developmental difficulties before the second year of life, their children were diagnosed 36 months later. In Latin cultures, behavior problems are usually attributed to poor parenting skills, so parents might take longer to seek professional help. A better understanding of cultural influences on age of diagnosis will translate to quicker use of services independent of ethnicity.

Age at autism spectrum disorder diagnosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis from 2012 to 2019

“…Several studies reported the age at ASD diagnosis for distinct ASD subtypes. For instance, the mean age at diagnosis for autistic disorder (eight studies) ranged between 33.8 and 194 months and the median age at diagnosis (nine studies) between 30 and 68.1 months (studies for mean age: Begeer et al, 2013; Bent et al, 2015; Bravo Oro et al, 2012; Brett et al, 2016; Hall-Lande et al, 2018; Höfer et al, 2019; Montiel-Nava et al, 2017; Sicherman et al, 2017 and studies for median age: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2014; Baio et al, 2018; Bent et al, 2015; Bickel et al, 2015; Brett et al, 2016; Christensen, Baio, et al, 2016; Hall-Lande et al, 2018; Hinkka-Yli-Salomäki et al, 2014; Sicherman et al, 2017).…”

A Conceptual Framework for Understanding the Cultural and Contextual Factors on Autism Across the Globe

“…To monitor developmental concerns, or to more specifically screen for autism, the development of culturally appropriate surveillance, screening and diagnostic tools is vital. Late or no diagnosis disadvantages individuals with ASD in distinct cultural or socioeconomic settings, and bars them from effective early intervention or educational support (Bakare & Munir, 2011;Bello-Mojeed, Omigbodun, Bakare, & Adewuya, 2017;Montiel-Nava, Chacín, & González-Ávila, 2017;Ruparelia et al, 2016). Moreover, little is known about the cultural and contextual adaptations required to make interventions feasible, acceptable and effective across low-resource settings (Al Maskari, Melville, & Willis, 2018;Franz, Chambers, von Isenburg, & de Vries, 2017;Guler, de Vries, Seris, Shabalala, & Franz, 2017).…”

Encuesta para cuidadores de personas del espectro autista en Chile: primeras preocupaciones, edad del diagnóstico y características clínicas

“…Montiel 19 informa sobre el único estudio de niños TEA en América Latina, que similar a lo señalado muestra que las preocupaciones de los padres aparecen tempranamente a los 17 meses, pero el diagnóstico se demora 3 años en promedio (53-54 m). Salomone 20 estudiando una muestra de 23 países europeos, compuesta por 1.410 niños menores de 7 años, encontró una edad de diagnóstico de 42 meses, con una variación considerable entre países, que va desde los 33-50 meses. Los niños con mejor capacidad verbal se identificaron más tarde, especialmente si eran mujeres, apoyando las nociones de una manifestación más sutil en mujeres y que los niños con síntomas más leves se diagnostican más tarde 7,11,[19][20][21] .…”