Autistic Hispanic Children Usually Diagnosed Late, Study Finds

Cultural and language barriers may lower Hispanic children's chances of autism spectrum disorders. A new study found that Hispanic children with autism receive diagnosis at least two years later than white children.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is a group of developmental disabilities that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges.

According to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), In the US, 1 in 88 children and 1 in every 54 boys have autism.

Previous research on the subject had shown that white children were getting more medical care for autism-related complications than children of Hispanic or African American origins.

"Parents need to know that early identification of autism is important. It leads to better outcomes for the child and better family outcomes. It may even save money. All children should be screened," Dr. Katharine Zuckerman, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, one of the study authors told HealthDay.

Data for the study came from 267 primary care pediatricians in California. Researchers found that Latino children received fewer autism diagnoses and the detection was a few years after the condition had developed, according to a news release. 

About one in 10 pediatricians were performing the screenings in Spanish. Access, culture, language and communication problems were cited as major barriers in autism diagnosis in these children.

Improving access to ASD specialists, promoting language-appropriate screening, distributing information to Latino families and supporting screening methods for Latino children could help these kids get an early diagnosis for the condition, according to authors.

The study, "Pediatrician Identification of Latino Children at Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder,"  is published in the journal Pediatrics.