The relationship between ethnicity and age of first concern in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder

•The study examined the relationship between child ethnicity and age of first concern.•No racial/ethnic differences were found in age of parents’ first concerns.•Parents recognized their children's developmental problems around 13 months of age.

The current study examined the relationship between ethnicity and the age at which parents first become concerned about their children's development in 1478 toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and atypical development. Based on the current findings, there were no racial/ethnic differences in age of parent's first concerns. Caregivers of toddlers with ASD first developed concerns around the same time independent of which ethnic groups they belong to. In addition, the age of caregivers’ first concerns was significantly younger for those with ASD compared to those who are atypically developing without an ASD diagnosis. Implications regarding these findings are discussed.