Have Symptoms of Autism Changed over Time?

The number of symptoms has decreased in children aged 7 to 12, but their suffering was the same as in more symptomatic cases.

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased >35 times in the last 50 years. To see whether the increase was related to patients meeting the diagnostic criteria, but with fewer symptoms, researchers examined the number of parent-reported autistic symptoms and the degree of dysfunction and suffering (impairment) over time in 271 individuals with ASD.

Participants, identified in a Swedish national twin registry (>28,000 twins born in 1992–2007), were diagnosed by age 13 years. (Registry diagnoses were previously validated, showing 96% agreement with diagnoses in medical settings.) Data on symptoms were obtained by layperson-administered telephone interviews of the parents.

Overall, the number of parent-reported autistic sympto…

Reviewing Author

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Have Symptoms of Autism Changed over Time?

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Reviewing Author