TY - JOUR
T1 - Service utilization in a sample of preschool children with autism spectrum disorder
T2 - A Canadian snapshot
AU - Pathways in ASD study team
AU - Volden, J.
AU - Duku, E.
AU - Shepherd, C.
AU - Georgiades, S.
AU - Bennett, T.
AU - Di Rezze, B.
AU - Szatmari, P.
AU - Bryson, S.
AU - Fombonne, E.
AU - Mirenda, P.
AU - Roberts, W.
AU - Smith, I. M.
AU - Vaillancourt, T.
AU - Waddell, C.
AU - Zwaigenbaum, L.
AU - Elsabbagh, M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Pulsus Group Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2015/11/1
Y1 - 2015/11/1
N2 - OBjective: To describe services received by preschool children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during the five-year period following their diagnosis. Method: An inception cohort of preschoolers diagnosed with ASD from Halifax (Nova Scotia), Montreal (Quebec), Hamilton (Ontario), Edmonton (Alberta) and Vancouver (British Columbia) were invited to participate. Parents/caregivers (n=414) described the services provided to their children at four time points: baseline (T1; within four months of diagnosis; mean age three years); six months later (T2); 12 months later (T3); and at school entry (T4). Data were first coded into 11 service types and subsequently combined into four broader categories (no services, behavioural, developmental and general) for analysis. Results: More than 80% of children at T1, and almost 95% at T4 received some type of service, with a significant number receiving >1 type of service at each assessment point. At T1, the most common service was developmental (eg, speech-language therapy). Subsequently, the most common services were a combination of behavioural and developmental (eg, intensive therapy based on applied behaviour analysis and speech-language therapy). Service provision varied across provinces and over time. Discussion: Although most preschool children with ASD residing in urban centres were able to access specialized services shortly after diagnosis, marked variation in services across provinces remains a concern.
AB - OBjective: To describe services received by preschool children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during the five-year period following their diagnosis. Method: An inception cohort of preschoolers diagnosed with ASD from Halifax (Nova Scotia), Montreal (Quebec), Hamilton (Ontario), Edmonton (Alberta) and Vancouver (British Columbia) were invited to participate. Parents/caregivers (n=414) described the services provided to their children at four time points: baseline (T1; within four months of diagnosis; mean age three years); six months later (T2); 12 months later (T3); and at school entry (T4). Data were first coded into 11 service types and subsequently combined into four broader categories (no services, behavioural, developmental and general) for analysis. Results: More than 80% of children at T1, and almost 95% at T4 received some type of service, with a significant number receiving >1 type of service at each assessment point. At T1, the most common service was developmental (eg, speech-language therapy). Subsequently, the most common services were a combination of behavioural and developmental (eg, intensive therapy based on applied behaviour analysis and speech-language therapy). Service provision varied across provinces and over time. Discussion: Although most preschool children with ASD residing in urban centres were able to access specialized services shortly after diagnosis, marked variation in services across provinces remains a concern.
KW - Autism spectrum disorder
KW - Intervention
KW - Services
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U2 - 10.1093/pch/20.8.e43
DO - 10.1093/pch/20.8.e43
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84957662073
SN - 1205-7088
VL - 20
SP - e43-e47
JO - Paediatrics and Child Health (Canada)
JF - Paediatrics and Child Health (Canada)
IS - 8
ER -