TY - JOUR
T1 - Comorbidities in School-Age Children and Adolescents with Autism in an Ethnically Diverse Population
T2 - Brief Report
AU - Valicenti-McDermott, Maria
AU - Schlussel, Danya
AU - Hurley, Christine
AU - Rivelis, Erin
AU - Bernstein, Carla
AU - Cardin, Marie Joane
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
©Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
PY - 2023/6/1
Y1 - 2023/6/1
N2 - Objectives: (1) To examine psychiatric and developmental comorbidities in school-age children and adolescents with Autism in a university-affiliated urban developmental center that serves children with developmental disabilities, and (2) to compare comorbidities by age groups. Methods: Review of all school-age children and adolescents evaluated and diagnosed with autism from 1/2019 to 1/2022. Data included: Demographics (age, gender, race/ethnic group, bilingual English/Spanish households) and other developmental and psychiatric diagnoses besides autism, including language disorder, specific learning disorders (LD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intellectual disabilities (ID), anxiety disorders (i.e., generalized anxiety disorder, anxiety disorder, unspecified, social anxiety disorder), and depressive disorders (i.e., major depressive disorder, depressive disorder, unspecified). Statistics included chi-square, and nonparametric tests, comorbidities were compared between school-age children and adolescents. Results: Of all children evaluated in that period (n = 599), 119 (20%) were diagnosed with autism, 97 (81%) boys, age 11.8 – 3 years old, 46 (39%) bilingual English/Spanish households; 65 (55%) were school-age children and 54 (45%) were adolescents (age = 12–18). Of the 119, 115 (96%) presented with one or more co-occurring conditions, including language disorder in 101 (85%), LD in 23 (19%), ADHD in 50 (42%), and ID in 30 (25%). Psychiatric co-occurring conditions included anxiety disorders in 24 (20%) and depressive disorders in 8 (6%). School-age children with autism were more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD combined type (42% vs. 22%, p = 0.04) and language disorders (91% vs. 73%, p = 0.04), whereas adolescents with autism were more likely to be diagnosed with depressive disorders (13% vs. 1%, p = 0.03), with no other differences between the groups. Conclusion: In this urban, ethnically diverse group of children with autism, the vast majority presented with one or more comorbid diagnoses. School-age children were more likely to be diagnosed with language disorder and ADHD, while adolescents were more likely to be diagnosed with depression. Early detection and treatment of co-occurring conditions in autism are necessary.
AB - Objectives: (1) To examine psychiatric and developmental comorbidities in school-age children and adolescents with Autism in a university-affiliated urban developmental center that serves children with developmental disabilities, and (2) to compare comorbidities by age groups. Methods: Review of all school-age children and adolescents evaluated and diagnosed with autism from 1/2019 to 1/2022. Data included: Demographics (age, gender, race/ethnic group, bilingual English/Spanish households) and other developmental and psychiatric diagnoses besides autism, including language disorder, specific learning disorders (LD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intellectual disabilities (ID), anxiety disorders (i.e., generalized anxiety disorder, anxiety disorder, unspecified, social anxiety disorder), and depressive disorders (i.e., major depressive disorder, depressive disorder, unspecified). Statistics included chi-square, and nonparametric tests, comorbidities were compared between school-age children and adolescents. Results: Of all children evaluated in that period (n = 599), 119 (20%) were diagnosed with autism, 97 (81%) boys, age 11.8 – 3 years old, 46 (39%) bilingual English/Spanish households; 65 (55%) were school-age children and 54 (45%) were adolescents (age = 12–18). Of the 119, 115 (96%) presented with one or more co-occurring conditions, including language disorder in 101 (85%), LD in 23 (19%), ADHD in 50 (42%), and ID in 30 (25%). Psychiatric co-occurring conditions included anxiety disorders in 24 (20%) and depressive disorders in 8 (6%). School-age children with autism were more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD combined type (42% vs. 22%, p = 0.04) and language disorders (91% vs. 73%, p = 0.04), whereas adolescents with autism were more likely to be diagnosed with depressive disorders (13% vs. 1%, p = 0.03), with no other differences between the groups. Conclusion: In this urban, ethnically diverse group of children with autism, the vast majority presented with one or more comorbid diagnoses. School-age children were more likely to be diagnosed with language disorder and ADHD, while adolescents were more likely to be diagnosed with depression. Early detection and treatment of co-occurring conditions in autism are necessary.
KW - ADHD
KW - adolescents
KW - anxiety
KW - autism spectrum disorder
KW - comorbidities
KW - depression
KW - learning disabilities
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U2 - 10.1089/cap.2023.0006
DO - 10.1089/cap.2023.0006
M3 - Article
C2 - 37196211
AN - SCOPUS:85163170099
SN - 1044-5463
VL - 33
SP - 190
EP - 194
JO - Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology
JF - Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology
IS - 5
ER -