Study reveals high prevalence of ADHD and anxiety in children diagnosed with autism

A study conducted at a US autism clinic involving 81 children aged 5 to 13 found that many individuals receive autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses only after being identified with other conditions. Specifically, 54% of the children had already received an ADHD diagnosis, and 36% had already been diagnosed with anxiety prior to their autism diagnosis.

The research, led by Kimberly Burkhart and colleagues at University Hospitals in Cleveland, focused on children diagnosed with ASD Level 1. The findings indicated that while these children scored in the average range on IQ tests, they scored in the moderately low range regarding everyday living skills.

Demographic data from the study showed that 72% of the participants were boys, and girls were diagnosed at an average age of 9.7 years, compared to 8.5 years for boys. Additionally, parents reported higher levels of emotional, behavioral, and social challenges than teachers did.