Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting millions of children globally. The disorder has no cure, but there are different treatments and interventions to reduce the symptoms. The main cause of the condition is yet to be discovered because different factors cause the condition in the brain, thus the need for early detection and interventions. The prevalence of the condition means an increased number of children with needs, the need for financial assistance, the need for specialists and schools. A deeper understanding of the condition is required to ensure these children’s needs are met and to improve their motor and cognitive sensors. The factors contributing to the condition should be dealt with to reduce the number of cases. Early detection and intervention ensure the condition will not damage the child or make their life difficult; thus, if the condition is prevalent, it is necessary to create more awareness to the public across all nations.
Annotated Bibliography
Thomaidis, L., Mavroeidi, N., Richardson, C., Choleva, A., Damianos, G., Bolias, K., & Tsolia, M. (2020). Autism Spectrum Disorders in Greece: Nationwide Prevalence in 10-11-Year-Old Children and Regional Disparities. Journal of clinical medicine, 9(7), 2163. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9072163
Thomaidis et al. conducted nationwide research on the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in Greece. The focus population of the case study was children aged six years who were diagnosed frequently until they were five years old. The study`s main aim was to identify why there was an increase in ASD cases. During the case study, the author also identified major disparities contributing to the prevalence of ASD. The author emphasized on the early identification and diagnosis of ASD cases and the importance of providing proper intervention and management to ensure the affected children live comfortable normal lives.
The author used a questionnaire as a method of collecting data to cater to the needs of the research. Sixty-two centers participated in the study. The author collected data from participants from centers for education and counseling support of the ministry of education. This allowed the author to access the number of affected cases, the year of birth (2008-2009), gender of the children, and the year the children were first diagnosed. The study’s findings indicate that 1.15% in 2019 were children aged 10 and 11. The boys were the most affected by autism compared to girls at a ratio of 4:14.1, reaching ages 10 to 11 years in 2019.
The case study is relevant in the research on ASD because it provides data and statistics from evidence-based studies and provides information that researchers can use to estimate the global crisis of the disorder at the local, national, and international levels. It also provides service planning and development guidelines to ensure the children’s needs are met.
Saito, M., Hirota, T., Sakamoto, Y., Adachi, M., Takahashi, M., Osato-Kaneda, A., Kim, Y. S., Leventhal, B., Shui, A., Kato, S., & Nakamura, K. (2020). Prevalence and cumulative incidence of autism spectrum disorders and the patterns of co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders in a total population sample of 5-year-old children. Molecular Autism, 11(1), 35. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13229-020-00342-5
Saito et al. researched neurodevelopmental disorders in the year 2020. The study aimed at determining whether there was an raise in number of ASD prevalence by estimating the number of incidences recorded every year in Japan. The author’s focus population was five-year-old children in the catchment area. The children participated in screening from 2013-to 2016. The children confirmed having the disorder were requested to participate in the research. The method used involved children and parent interviews, behavioral observation, and cognitive and motor function testing.
The research conducted screening on 3956 children; 559 underwent assessment, and 87 were diagnosed with ASD. The prevalence was 3.22%. The male to female ratio was 2:2:1. The total ASD cumulative incidence was 1.31%. Only 11.5% of children had ASD alone from the case study, and the remaining 88.5% had at least one NDD.
The case study is relevant since it provides data on children with ASD, information on a global crisis. The study gives guidelines to other researchers on identifying the causes of the prevalence, the best interventions, and how to prevent or minimize the disorder in children.
Maenner, M. J., Shaw, K. A., Baio, J., EdS1, Washington, A., Patrick, M., DiRienzo, M., Christensen, D. L., Wiggins, L. D., Pettygrove, S., Andrews, J. G., Lopez, M., Hudson, A., Baroud, T., Schwenk, Y., White, T., Rosenberg, C. R., Lee, L. C., Harrington, R. A., Huston, M., … Dietz, P. M. (2020). Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years – Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2016. Morbidity and mortality weekly report. Surveillance summaries (Washington, D.C.: 2002), 69(4), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss6904a1
Maenner et al. conducted a case study on the prevalence of ASD in 2016 among children aged eight years in the United States. The study’s main aim was to identify the prevalence of the disorder in 11 states in the U.S. The states include; Arizona, Georgia, Minnesota, Arkansas, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, New Jerzy, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
The author’s target populations were parents or guardians of ASD children living in the 11 ADDM network sites in the United States. The researchers mainly used surveillance in two phases. Phase 1 involved reviewing all evaluations completed y medical and educational service providers. Phase two mainly involved experienced clinicians who reviewed all the information collected to help determine the status of ASD cases. In 2016 when researchers conducted the research across all the 11 network sites, the ASD prevalence was 18.5 per 1000 (1 in 54) children aged eight years. And ASD was 4.3 times more prevalent in boys as compared to girls.
The case study conducted is a relevant source in the study pertaining prevalence of ASD because it focuses not only on children in general, but the data and statistics provided are based on different races; whites, Hispanic, Asians, and people of color. The study also compares the prevalence of ASD on matters of gender on a ratio of male is to female and concludes it is more dominant in male than female but more research is required.. The study creates a lot of paths for other researchers on matters of autism based on the race or gender of the affected population with ASD disorder.
Chiarotti, F., & Venerosi, A. (2020). Epidemiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Review of Worldwide Prevalence Estimates Since 2014. Brain sciences, 10(5), 274. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10050274
Charlotte and Venerosi did this case study to identify the prevalence of ASD in the recent decade. The authors fully support the claim that autism should be declared an epidemic globally since it affects millions of children. They also acknowledge the importance of systematic monitoring of ASD, which facilitates the estimation of prevalence and identification of variations in different geographical areas. THE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS PROVIDE the ASD prevalence global estimates using the health and educational database or mainly from the population participating in ASD case studies. The research focuses on worldwide population estimates since 2014.
The researchers reviewed other case studies conducted and published on the prevalence of ASD since 2014. The findings from the study indicate that ASD prevalence differs based on the diagnostic criteria and category, the age the case is evaluated, the geographical areas where the study is conducted, and the main source of data on the diagnosis. Globally the overall ASD estimates range from 0.19/1000 to 11.6/1000.
The case study is relevant in education because it provides and compares different ASD estimates from different parts of the world; the powerful and the powerless. The estimates create a clear understanding of the disorder from a local, national, and international level, thus emphasizing research on interventions and management. The estimates provided are too high; thus, the author supports the declaration of ASD as an epidemic. This portrays the need for more research on the condition globally.
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