Parents’ developmental concerns and age variance at diagnosis of children with autism spectrum disorder

Although early recognition of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is important, the age of children at diagnosis is variable. Forty-five participants diagnosed with ASD were divided into groups based on age at diagnosis and compared on age when parents first became concerned about various aspects of their development. Results demonstrated no differences between the two groups with regard to most factors except Early Intervention referral. While concerns about atypical behavior and attainment of milestones were similar between the groups, parents in the early diagnosis group noted social development concerns at an earlier age (mean 18.0 vs. 25.3 months), suggesting close surveillance of this particular developmental domain may facilitate earlier ASD referral and diagnosis.