Screening and Epidemiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder in 3 to 6 Year-old Children of Kindergartens Supervised by Mazandaran Welfare Organization

Epidemology of the autism spectrum disorder in childhood is particulary important due to its ever-increasing prevelence in different countries and the significance of early intervention. In this regard, present study aimed at screening and determining the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in 3 to 6 year-old children of kindergartens supervised by Mazandaran welfare organization. 

This research was a descriptive-cross sectional study. The study population included all the 3 to 6 year-old children of kindergartens supervised by Mazandaran welfare organization in 2016-2017. From this population, a sample of 10040 children was evaluated. To collect data, the sample was first evaluated by the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) (Robins, Fein, & Barton, 1999) and follow-up interview. Then at the screening phase, high-risk kids were assessed by demographic information questionnaire and Gilliam Autism Rating Scale - Second Edition (GARS-2)(1994). Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation and percentage) and inferential statistics (Chi-square).  

Results showed that 53 children (i.e. 46 boys and 7 girls) with autism spectrum disorder were attending the kindergartens of Mazandaran province in 2016-2017. The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder was 0.96% in boys and 0.13 % in girls. Also the male to female ratio of prevalence was 6.5 to 1 (P≥0.05).

Based on the results of this study, prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in 3-6 year-old kindergarten kids in Mazandaran was 0.53 (approximately 0.5 %). The severity of the disorder and cognitive and socio-economic condition play a significant role in the admission of children with autism spectrum disorder in kindergartens and have caused the presence of these children in Mazandaran kindergartens to be less than the global prevalence.