Explaining Age at Autism Spectrum Diagnosis in Children with Migrant and Non-Migrant Background in Austria

• Published in: Brain sciences Vol. 10; no. 7; p. 448
• Main Authors: Primo, Patricia Garcia, Weber, Christoph, de la Paz, Manuel Posada, Fellinger, Johannes, Dirmhirn, Anna, Holzinger, Daniel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01-07-2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Age; Autism; Child behavior; Children; Children & youth; Citizenship; Demographic aspects; Developmental disabilities; Diagnosis; Disability; Emigration and immigration; Europe; Evaluation; Families & family life; Health aspects; Health care; Health services; health system; Host country; Immigration; Influence; Language; Migration; Noncitizens; Parents & parenting; Pervasive developmental disorders; Studies; Austria; United States > US; North America; Europe
• ISSN: 2076-3425; 2076-3425
• DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10070448

This study explored (i) differences in age at Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis between children with and without a migrant background in the main diagnostic centre for ASD in Upper Austria (ii) factors related to the age at diagnosis and (iii) whether specific factors differed between the two groups. A retrospective chart analysis included all children who received their first diagnosis before the age of 10 years (n = 211) between 2013 and 2018. Children with a migrant background were diagnosed 13 months earlier than those without (r = 0.278, p < 0.001), and had more severe delays in language, more severe autism, no Asperger’s syndrome, lower parental educational level and more frequent referrals by paediatricians. For the total sample, expressive language delay, severity of restricted and repetitive behaviours, higher nonverbal development, and paediatric referrals explained earlier diagnoses. There was a stronger effect of parental education and weaker effect of language impairment on age at ASD diagnosis in children with a migrant background. In conclusion, no delay in diagnosing ASD in children with a migrant background in a country with universal health care and an established system of paediatric developmental surveillance was found. Awareness of ASD, including Asperger’s syndrome, should be raised among families and healthcare professionals.