Epidemiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders in French Children Aged 8

Le résumé fourni par la source

PURPOSE: Reliable and up-to-date data on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence in France remain limited. This study aimed to describe long-term trends in ASD diagnosis rates at age 8 in a French county between 2003 and 2024 and to provide a detailed epidemiological, clinical, educational, and care-related profile of children with ASD in the most recent years. METHODS: Data were drawn from the Haute-Garonne Child Disability Registry, which records children diagnosed with ASD by age 8 using multiple sources and validated diagnoses. Long-term registry-based prevalence trends were examined considering children born between 1995 and 2016. Descriptive and comparative analyses were conducted for children born between 2014 and 2016, focusing on sex, intellectual disability (ID), associated conditions, age at diagnosis, schooling and care arrangements. RESULTS: The registry-based prevalence of ASD at age 8 increased markedly ranging from 2.1‰ in 2003 to 13.5‰ in 2024. In 2024, the prevalence reached 21.1‰ among boys. The increase was predominantly driven by ASD without ID, which accounted for nearly 70% of recent cases. For recent cases the median age at diagnosis was 4 years. Over 20% had co-occurring attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, while sleep and eating disorders were also frequent. Schooling and care arrangements differed substantially according to the presence of ID. CONCLUSION: The increase in registry-based prevalence does not appear to have levelled off, with diagnoses overwhelmingly and increasingly being made in children without ID. The situation regarding neurodevelopmental disorders in France is changing profoundly and requires ongoing monitoring, which registries are contributing to.

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