Parents' detection of early signs in their children having an autistic spectrum disorder.
The study aimed to describe parents' views of their early perception and detection that something was wrong with their child and to give a comprehensive description of early signs to help primary health care nurses to focus on relevant symptoms. Participants were 66 parents from a total of 37 families, a population-based sample from a Swedish county. Interview data were analyzed by manifest content analysis. The results indicated a few critical periods: around the birth, early speech development, and school start. The diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorders was delayed. The parents' reports were congruent with earlier observation studies.
Sivberg
Bengt
B
Department of Nursing, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. Bengt.Sivberg@omv.lu.se
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003147:Communication Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009790:Occupations; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D002666:Psychology, Child; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden