The COVID-19 pandemic has strained the resources of the world's healthcare systems. Most individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs) experience significant mental health issues and face substantial barriers in accessing appropriate supports which have been exacerbated during the pandemic. It is unknown the extent to which COVID-19…

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) and emergency department (ED) utilization are prevalent in autistic youth. The current study surveyed clinicians in a pediatric psychiatric ED to examine differences in attitudes on suicide-related care for autistic and non-autistic patient populations. While clinicians rated addressing STB in ASD as important…

This study examines the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in preschool children in an immigrant population. Possible risk factors for ASD and individual needs for the children and their families are described, as well as implications for health care. The estimated minimum prevalence for ASD in the area was 3.66% for children aged…

Little is known about care needs of young adults with Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). Patient-driven information is needed to improve understanding and support of young adults with FXS. A qualitative study was performed in 5 young adult patients (aged 18-30), and 33 parents of young adults. Concerns and care needs were categorized using the…

Little is known about Young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (YA-ASD) health, healthcare and safety needs. This study describes the validation of a health care transition measure for YA-ASD, the Health-Related Independence (HRI). We collected data from caregivers (n = 490) at five Autism Treatment Network sites and compared the psychometric…

Amidst the ongoing novel Coronavirus disease pandemic, children with developmental disabilities warrant specific attention to minimise having disproportionate consequences. These children are especially vulnerable to the effects of the pandemic due to (1) Greater healthcare needs, (2) Dependency on community-based services and (3) Mental health…

An increasing number of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are enrolling in post-secondary education. Though many students may use services provided by university and college counseling centers (UCCCs), little is known about the landscape of care for students with ASD in this setting. UCCC directors (n = 79) completed an online survey…

With an increase in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in the United States, many of whom have higher intellectual ability, there is a predicted increase in the number of college-bound students. Affected young adults face a "Services Cliff" as they transition into adulthood. Our study examined a nationally represented sample of…

Utilizing the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health, this study illustrates that children with ASD have nearly 4 times higher odds of unmet health care needs compared to children without disabilities, whereas children with other disabilities had nearly 2 times higher odds of unmet health care needs compared to children without disabilities.…

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have many health needs that place demands on the health service sector. This study used administrative data to compare health profiles in young adults 18-24 years of age with ASD to peers with and without other developmental disability. Young adults with ASD were more likely to have almost all the…

Conversation and discourse analyses were used to examine medical problem presentation in pediatric care. Healthcare visits involving children with ASD and typically developing children were analyzed. We examined how children's communicative and epistemic capabilities, and their opportunities to be socialized into a competent patient role are…

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) experience difficulty accessing health care services. Using parent-reported data from the 2009-2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, we examined whether having a medical home reduces unmet need for specialty care services for children with ASD (n = 3,055). Descriptive…

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) (n = 144) and primary care providers (PCPs) (n = 144) completed similar surveys assessing the ability of the PCP to address ASD-specific needs. Parents also rated their PCP's ability to deliver family-centered care. A majority of parents rated their PCP's ability as "not good" in addressing…

The pediatrician sees a child for 11 well child visits by their third birthday. The provision of continuous primary care supports development of trust with parents, provides opportunity for screening and surveillance of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), allows monitoring the progress of children requiring therapy, and a framework to support and…

Mail-in pilot-tested questionnaires were sent to a stratified random sample of 1,500 families from the North Carolina Autism Registry. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the significance of unmet dental needs and other predictors. Of 568 surveys returned (Response Rate = 38%), 555 were complete and usable. Sixty-five…