title: Trends in autism spectrum disorder diagnoses: 1994-2007.
abstract: We analyzed predictors of parent-reported initial diagnosis (autistic disorder [AD], pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified [PDD-NOS], pervasive developmental disorder ['PDD'] and autism spectrum disorder ['ASD'], and Asperger syndrome [AS]), among 6,176 individuals with autism spectrum disorders diagnosed from 1994 through 2007. Overall, distribution of diagnoses was influenced by a secular time trend factor; other significant factors included ethnicity, white race, geographic location, urbanicity, and initial evaluator. Since 2001, most initial diagnoses of AD and AS have remained steady while 'PDD' and PDD-NOS have decreased. 'ASD' diagnoses have increased, especially among school-based teams; AS diagnoses also increased uniquely among these evaluators. Findings from this study suggest that current diagnostic guidelines may not be meeting all community evaluator needs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Informatics, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: Amy M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.forename: J Kiely
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Walter E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
mesh_terms: D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D006801:Humans