title: Macrocephaly in children with autism spectrum disorders.
abstract: Research indicates the presence of macrocephaly or abnormally large head circumferences in children with autism and spectrum-related disorders, compared with their typically developing peers. Previous research, however, centered on non-nationally representative, clinic-based samples of children and adults with autism spectrum disorders. Moreover, these samples were typically small. The present study represents results of a nationally representative, community-based sample of children with and without autism spectrum disorders, derived from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Birth Cohort. Results reveal statistically nonsignificant differences in the head circumferences of children with autism spectrum disorders across three time points, compared with children without autism spectrum disorders. These results may be considered highly generalizable, because they are derived from a nationally representative, community-based sample of children with and without autism spectrum disorders from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Birth Cohort.
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798, USA. lucy_barnard-brak@baylor.edu
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barnard-Brak
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sulak
authors.forename: Julie K Ivey
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Hatz
mesh_terms: D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D058627:Megalencephaly / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology