| Black children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were diagnosed an average of more than three years after their parents expressed concerns about their development, a new study found. “These delays are believed to play a significant role in an even more serious health disparity which involves the proportion of children with autism who additionally are affected by intellectual disability (ID),” author John N. Constantino, M.D., director of the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center at Washington University, said in a video abstract. The AAP recommends developmental screenings at 9, 18 and 30 months and screening for autism at ages 18 and 24 months. Researchers analyzed data on 584 Black children with autism enrolled in an autism research network at one of four sites and found that on average, children were diagnosed at 65 months, according to “Timing of the Diagnosis of Autism in African American Children”. |
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