Effects of Intersectionality Along the Pathway to Diagnosis for Autistic Children With and Without Co-occurring Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in a Nationally-Representative Sample.
Haylie L Miller, Morgan Thomi, Rita M Patterson and 1 others
PMID 35749001WHAT IT FOUND
Black non-Hispanic children received ASD diagnoses 10 months later than White non-Hispanic children.
Co-occurring depression delayed diagnosis by 13.5 months, while behavioral problems sped it up by 18 months. Wait times averaged two years regardless of whether ADHD was also present.
Key findings
01Black non-Hispanic children experienced a 10-month delay in final diagnosis compared to White non-Hispanic counterparts.
02Children with a history of depression were diagnosed 13.5 months later, whereas those with significant behavioral problems were diagnosed 18 months earlier.
03Wait time from first concern to diagnosis averaged 25.54 months, with no significant difference between children with ASD only versus ASD plus ADHD.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The dataset is from 2014, predating recent changes in diagnostic guidelines and surveillance practices. Small sample sizes for specific intersectional groups (e.g., Black Hispanic children) limited the ability to thoroughly assess disparities. Reliance on parental recall and self-reported diagnoses may introduce bias. The survey did not capture detailed information on the frequency or duration of school-based versus outpatient therapies.
Declared interests
The study used data sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No specific author conflicts of interest were reported in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the shorter wait time for Black non-Hispanic children as a sign of equitable care. This statistical artifact occurred because their families reported concerns significantly later than White families, meaning the total time from early development to diagnosis remained substantially delayed.