Children who are later diagnosed with autism and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder visit doctors and hospitals more often in their first year of life than non-affected children, suggesting a potential new way to identify the conditions early.

The findings from Duke Health researchers, appearing online Oct. 19 in the journal Scientific Reports, provide evidence that health care utilization patterns in a baby’s first year can be gleaned from electronic medical records, serving as a roadmap to provide timely diagnoses and treatments that could improve outcomes and reduce health care costs.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects approximately 1.5% of children in the United States and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects about 11% of U.S. children. ADHD symptoms are also present in up to 60% of children with ASD. The diagnoses are associated with higher utilization of health care services, at great expense to families.

«This study provides evidence that children who develop autism and ADHD are on a different path from the beginning,» said lead author Matthew Engelhard, M.D., Ph.D., a senior research associate at Duke. «We have known that children with these diagnoses have more interactions with the health care system after they’ve been diagnosed, but this indicates that distinctive patterns of utilization begin early in these children’s lives. This could provide an opportunity to intervene sooner.»

«We know that children with ASD and ADHD often receive their diagnosis much later, missing out on the proven benefits that early interventions can bring,» said Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D., director of the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development and the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences. «Owing to the brain’s inherent malleability — its neuroplasticity — early detection and intervention are critical to improving outcomes in ASD, especially in terms of language and social skills.»

Engelhard and colleagues, including senior authors Dawson and Scott Kollins, Ph.D., used 10 years of data collected from the electronic health records of nearly 30,000 patients, primarily at Duke University Health System, who had at least two well-child visits before age one.

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Materials provided by Duke University Medical Center. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.