Jane M. Charles

Prevalence and Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years--Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2012

PROBLEM/CONDITION Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). PERIOD COVERED 2012. DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network is an active surveillance system that provides estimates of the prevalence and characteristics of ASD among children aged 8 years whose parents or guardians reside in 11 ADDM Network sites in the United States (Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah, and Wisconsin). Surveillance to determine ASD case status is conducted in two phases. The first phase consists of screening and abstracting comprehensive evaluations performed by professional service providers in the community. Data sources identified for record review are categorized as either 1) education source type, including developmental evaluations to determine eligibility for special education services or 2) health care source type, including diagnostic and developmental evaluations. The second phase involves the review of all abstracted evaluations by trained clinicians to determine ASD surveillance case status. A child meets the surveillance case definition for ASD if one or more comprehensive evaluations of that child completed by a qualified professional describes behaviors that are consistent with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision diagnostic criteria for any of the following conditions: autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (including atypical autism), or Asperger disorder. This report provides ASD prevalence estimates for children aged 8 years living in catchment areas of the ADDM Network sites in 2012, overall and stratified by sex, race/ethnicity, and the type of source records (education and health records versus health records only). In addition, this report describes the proportion of children with ASD with a score consistent with intellectual disability on a standardized intellectual ability test, the age at which the earliest known comprehensive evaluation was performed, the proportion of children with a previous ASD diagnosis, the specific type of ASD diagnosis, and any special education eligibility classification. RESULTS For 2012, the combined estimated prevalence of ASD among the 11 ADDM Network sites was 14.6 per 1,000 (one in 68) children aged 8 years. Estimated prevalence was significantly higher among boys aged 8 years (23.6 per 1,000) than among girls aged 8 years (5.3 per 1,000). Estimated ASD prevalence was significantly higher among non-Hispanic white children aged 8 years (15.5 per 1,000) compared with non-Hispanic black children (13.2 per 1,000), and Hispanic (10.1 per 1,000) children aged 8 years. Estimated prevalence varied widely among the 11 ADDM Network sites, ranging from 8.2 per 1,000 children aged 8 years (in the area of the Maryland site where only health care records were reviewed) to 24.6 per 1,000 children aged 8 years (in New Jersey, where both education and health care records were reviewed). Estimated prevalence was higher in surveillance sites where education records and health records were reviewed compared with sites where health records only were reviewed (17.1 per 1,000 and 10.7 per 1,000 children aged 8 years, respectively; p<0.05). Among children identified with ASD by the ADDM Network, 82% had a previous ASD diagnosis or educational classification; this did not vary by sex or between non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black children. A lower percentage of Hispanic children (78%) had a previous ASD diagnosis or classification compared with non-Hispanic white children (82%) and with non-Hispanic black children (84%). The median age at earliest known comprehensive evaluation was 40 months, and 43% of children had received an earliest known comprehensive evaluation by age 36 months. The percentage of children with an earliest known comprehensive evaluation by age 36 months was similar for boys and girls, but was higher for non-Hispanic white children (45%) compared with non-Hispanic black children (40%) and Hispanic children (39%). INTERPRETATION Overall estimated ASD prevalence was 14.6 per 1,000 children aged 8 years in the ADDM Network sites in 2012. The higher estimated prevalence among sites that reviewed both education and health records suggests the role of special education systems in providing comprehensive evaluations and services to children with developmental disabilities. Disparities by race/ethnicity in estimated ASD prevalence, particularly for Hispanic children, as well as disparities in the age of earliest comprehensive evaluation and presence of a previous ASD diagnosis or classification, suggest that access to treatment and services might be lacking or delayed for some children. PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION The ADDM Network will continue to monitor the prevalence and characteristics of ASD among children aged 8 years living in selected sites across the United States. Recommendations from the ADDM Network include enhancing strategies to 1) lower the age of first evaluation of ASD by community providers in accordance with the Healthy People 2020 goal that children with ASD are evaluated by age 36 months and begin receiving community-based support and services by age 48 months; 2) reduce disparities by race/ethnicity in identified ASD prevalence, the age of first comprehensive evaluation, and presence of a previous ASD diagnosis or classification; and 3) assess the effect on ASD prevalence of the revised ASD diagnostic criteria published in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.

Enhanced Cortisol Response to Stress in Children in Autism.

Children with Autism often show difficulties in adapting to change. Previous studies of cortisol, a neurobiologic stress hormone reflecting hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activity, in children with autism have demonstrated variable results. This study measured cortisol levels in children with and without Autism: (1) at rest; (2) in a novel environment; and (3) in response to a blood draw stressor. A significantly higher serum cortisol response was found in the group of children with autism. Analysis showed significantly higher peak cortisol levels and prolonged duration and recovery of cortisol elevation following the blood-stick stressor in children with autism. This study suggests increased reactivity of the HPA axis to stress and novel stimuli in children with autism.

Changes in autism spectrum disorder prevalence in 4 areas of the United States

BACKGROUND We sought to describe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) population characteristics and changes in identified prevalence across 3 time periods. METHODS Children with a potential ASD were identified through records abstraction at multiple sources with clinician review based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV-TR) criteria. Multisite, population-based data from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network were analyzed from areas of Arizona (AZ), Georgia (GA), Maryland (MD), and South Carolina (SC). Participants were 8-year-old children (born in 1992, 1994, or 1996) in 2000, 2002, or 2004 (and children born in 1988 residing in metropolitan Atlanta in 1996) who had been evaluated for a variety of developmental concerns at education and/or health sources. RESULTS From 2000 to 2004, the identified prevalence of the ASDs per 1,000 8-year-old children showed significant increases of 38% in GA and 72% in MD and a nonsignificant increase of 26% in AZ. ASD prevalence was relatively stable in SC with a nonsignificant decrease of 17%. Males had a higher identified prevalence of ASD in all years. Increases among racial, ethnic, and cognitive functioning subgroups varied by site and surveillance year. More children were classified with an ASD by community professionals over time, except in AZ. CONCLUSIONS There was a trend toward increase in identified ASD prevalence among 8-year-old children who met the surveillance case definition in 3 of the 4 study sites from 2000 to 2004. Some of the observed increases are due to improved ascertainment; however, a true increase in ASD symptoms cannot be ruled out. These data confirm that the prevalence of ASDs is undergoing significant change in some areas of the United States and that ASDs continue to be of urgent public health concern.

Infant screening : The usefulness of the Bayley Infant Neurodevelopmental Screener and the Clinical Adaptive Test/Clinical Linguistic Auditory Milestone Scale

&NA; We assessed the usefulness of the Bayley Infant Neurodevelopmental Screener (BINS) and the Clinical Adaptive Test/Clinical Linguistic Auditory Milestone Scale (CAT/CLAMS) for screening high‐risk infant populations in a sample of 78 infants followed after premature birth and/or perinatal insults. Both measures were highly correlated with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development‐II, but sensitivity and specificity analyses revealed disparities related to the tests administered and the cutoffs used. The BINS had optimal sensitivity (true positives) of 90% when referral was made for a BINS score of high or moderate. The CAT/CLAMS had excellent specificity (true negatives) of 95% to 98% but poor sensitivity (5%‐36%). Until the cutoff issue can be clarified, clinicians should be cautious in using the CAT/CLAMS as the primary screening instrument in settings in which early identification of infants with developmental problems is the main goal.

High Prescription Drug Use and Associated Costs among Medicaid-Eligible Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Identified by a Population-Based Surveillance Network

PURPOSE We assessed medication use and associated costs among 8- and 15-year-old children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) identified by the South Carolina Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (SCADDM) Network. METHODS All Medicaid-eligible SCADDM-identified children with ASD from surveillance years 2006 and 2007 were included (n = 263). Children were classified as ASD cases when documented behaviors consistent with the DSM-IV-TR criteria for autistic disorder, Asperger disorder, or pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified were present in health and education evaluation records. Medication and cost data were obtained by linking population-based and Medicaid data. RESULTS All 263 SCADDM-identified children had Medicaid data available; 56% (n = 147) had a prescription of any type, 40% (n = 105) used psychotropic medication, and 20% (n = 52) used multiple psychotropic classes during the study period. Common combinations were (1) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications and an antihypertensive, antidepressant or antipsychotic; and (2) antidepressants and an antipsychotic. Multiple psychotropic classes were more common among older children. Both the overall distribution of the number of prescription claims and medication costs varied significantly by age. CONCLUSIONS Results confirm that medication use in ASD, alone or in combination, is common, costly, and may increase with age.

Autism Spectrum Disorders in Preschool-Aged Children: Prevalence and Comparison to a School-Aged Population

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and case characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) among 4-year-olds and to compare findings to previous prevalence estimates for 8-year-olds in the same geographic area. METHODS South Carolina (SC) has been a participant in the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions active, population-based, multiple-site ASD surveillance network for 8-year-olds since 2000. The 8-year-old methodology, designed to identify children both with and without prior diagnosis, was applied in SC with modification to include information sources for younger children. RESULTS The ASD prevalence among 4-year-olds in 2006 was 8.0 per 1000 (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.1-9.9), or 1 in 125. In comparison, ASD prevalence among 8-year-olds in the same geographic area was 7.6 (95% CI, 5.7-9.5) in 2000 and 7.0 (95% CI 5.1-8.9) in 2002. Developmental concerns were documented at earlier ages across time, and while most cases received services, only 20% to 29% received services specific to ASD. CONCLUSIONS Findings should provide useful information for the planning of health/education policies and early intervention strategies for ASD.

The prevalence of youth with autism spectrum disorders in the criminal justice system.

Past surveys have reported high rates of youth with disabilities in the juvenile justice system, however, little research has examined the frequency with which youth with Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are in contact with law enforcement. Using records linkage with the Department of Juvenile Justice and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the South Carolina Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Program (SC ADDM), this study compares the frequency, type, and outcome of criminal charges for youth with ASD and non-ASD youth. Youth with ASD had higher rates of crimes against persons and lower rates of crimes against property. Youth with ASD were more likely to be diverted into pre-trial interventions and less likely to be prosecuted than comparison youth. When compared to the overall SC ADDM sample, charged youth were less likely to have comorbid intellectual disability.

Recent advances in autism spectrum disorders.

Objective: This review article provides an overview of the most recent developments in the literature regarding autism spectrum disorders including epidemiology, etiology, assessment, and management/treatment. Method: A review of the recent literature was conducted using Medline and the search term “Autism Spectrum Disorders.” Results: Autism Spectrum Disorders are more common than previously believed (1 in 166), and etiology appears to be multifaceted including both heritable and non-heritable factors. State of the art treatment includes comprehensive medical monitoring as well as behavioral intervention. Conclusions: Current and anticipated federal funding, policy changes, and large scale research projects provide promise for increasing knowledge about Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Aberrant Behaviors and Co-occurring Conditions as Predictors of Psychotropic Polypharmacy among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to identify rates and predictors of psychotropic medication polypharmacy among Medicaid-eligible children in South Carolina with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from 2000 to 2008. METHODS Population-based surveillance data were linked with state Medicaid records to obtain a detailed demographic, behavioral, educational, clinical, and diagnostic data set for all Medicaid-eligible 8-year-old children (n=629) who were identified and diagnosed with ASD using standardized criteria. Polypharmacy was defined as having interclass psychotropic medication claims overlapping for ≥30 consecutive days at any time during the 2-year study period. Multivariable logistic regression was used to model predictors of any polypharmacy, and for the three most common combinations. RESULTS Overall, 60% (n=377) used any psychotropic medication, and 41% (n=153) of those had interclass polypharmacy. Common combinations were attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications with an antidepressant (A/AD), antipsychotic (A/AP) or a mood stabilizer (A/MS). Black children had lower odds of any polypharmacy, as did those eligible for Medicaid because of income or being foster care versus those eligible because of disability. There were no significant associations between polypharmacy and social deficits in ASD for any combination, although children with communication deficits diagnostic of ASD had lower odds of any polypharmacy and A/AP polypharmacy. Children with argumentative, aggressive, hyperactive/impulsive, or self-injurious aberrant behaviors had higher odds of polypharmacy, as did children with diagnosed co-occurring ADHD, anxiety or mood disorders, or conduct/oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) in Medicaid records. CONCLUSIONS Future research is warranted to investigate how child-level factors impact combination psychotropic medication prescribing practices and outcomes in ASD.

Improving Early Identification and Intervention for Children at Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder

OBJECTIVES: To provide an example of a successful, novel statewide effort to increase early identification of young children at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using a 2-tiered screening process with enhanced quality assessment, interagency policy collaboration and coordination. METHODS: The South Carolina Act Early Team (SCAET) provided focused collaboration among leaders representing state agencies, universities, health care systems, private organizations, and families to improve quality of life for children with ASD. Specific focus was on implementing policy changes and training to result in earlier identification and home-based behavioral intervention for young children at risk for ASD. RESULTS: Policy changes, training, and modified state agency practices were accomplished. Presumptive eligibility, on the basis of a 2-tiered screening process was implemented by BabyNet (South Carolina’s Early Intervention Program) in collaboration with the lead agency for developmental disability services. There was a fivefold increase in children eligible for early intensive behavioral intervention without waiting for a diagnosis of ASD, avoiding long waits for diagnostic evaluations. Only 16 children (2.5%) were later found not to have ASD from a comprehensive evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in early identification and intervention are feasible through collaborative policy change. The South Carolina Act Early Team and its key stakeholders committed to improving outcomes for this population used existing tools and methods in new ways to improve early identification of children with ASD and to make available evidence-based intervention services. This example should be replicable in other states with key stakeholders working collaboratively for the benefit of young children with ASD.