More than one-third of kids may outgrow ASD diagnosis

More than one-third of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as toddlers no longer meet diagnostic criteria for the condition by the time they are around six years of age, according to a new study. 

In the study, conducted by Elizabeth Harstad and colleagues, 213 children who received a clinical diagnosis of ASD at 12 to 36 months of age underwent a new assessment when they were between five and seven years of age. Of the group, 79 children, or 37.1 percent, did not continue to meet diagnostic criteria for ASD. After controlling for multiple variables, the researchers found that the only variables associated with increased odds of no longer having an ASD diagnosis at the second assessment were female sex and a higher level of adaptive skills at baseline. 

Harstad comments, “Our research shows how important it is that we monitor kids over time, because some children may really have changes in their social communication and behavioral function. This underscores the need for continuous assessments and adaptable intervention strategies.”

Citations

“Persistence of autism spectrum disorder from early childhood through school age,” Elizabeth Harstad, Ellen Hanson, Stephanie J. Brewster, Rafael DePillis, Anna L. Milliken, Gabriella Aberbach, Georgios Sideridis, and William J. Barbaresi, JAMA Pediatrics, October 2, 2023 (online). Address: William Barbaresi, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, [email protected]. 

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“New insights into the developmental trajectory of autism,” news release, Children’s Hospital Boston, October 2, 2023.