Delayed Diagnosis and Treatment Among Children with Autism Who Experience Adversity

The effects of family adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on timing of ASD diagnoses and receipt of therapies were measured using data from the 2011–2012 National Survey of Children’s Health. Parametric accelerated failure time models estimated the relationship between family ACEs and both timing of ASD diagnosis and receipt of therapies among US children (age 2–17 years; N = 1624). Compared to children without family ACEs, the adjusted effects of 1–2 and ≥ 3 ACEs resulted in prolonged time of diagnoses with time ratios of 1.17 and 1.23. Report of 1–2 and ≥ 3 ACEs were associated with a 22 and 27% increase in the median age of entry into services. ACEs may pose significant barriers to diagnoses and treatment of children with ASD.