Autistic disorder in Nigeria: Profile and challenges to management

- We screened children presenting to a pediatric neurology clinic for autism.
- Autistic disorder accounted for 2.3% of the new cases seen over a period of 6 years.
- Nigerian children with autistic disorder have a high prevalence of comorbidities.
- Epilepsy occurs in about a quarter of Nigerian children with autistic disorder.
- The paper is a significant addition to the few reports on ASD in Africa.

Autism represents one of the most common developmental disorders affecting children, but there are few reports on autism in African children. Our study describes the profile of autistic disorder in a cohort of Nigerian children and appraises short-term outcomes. Children seen at the pediatric neurology and the child psychiatry clinic of the University College Hospital, Nigeria were screened for autistic disorder using the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV. Forty-five males and 9 females were identified with autism, and the disease accounted for 2.3% of 2320 new cases seen during the period. The mean age at which parents observed deviations in behavior was 22.5 (SD = 6.6) months, while the mean age at diagnosis was 44.7 (SD = 21.2) months. Twelve (22.6%) children had a positive family history of autism, and forty (75.5%) had associated neurological comorbidities. Diagnosis of autism is often delayed in Nigeria, and affected children have a high frequency of neurological comorbidities.