title: Service and wider societal costs of very young children with autism in the UK.
abstract: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are associated with a substantial economic burden, but there is little evidence of the costs in the early years; the period in which children are increasingly likely to be diagnosed. We describe the services used by 152 children aged 24-60 months with autism, report family out-of-pocket expenses and productivity losses, and explore the relationship between family characteristics and costs. Children received a wide range of hospital and community services including relatively high levels of contact with speech and language therapists and paediatricians. Total service costs varied greatly (mean £430 per month; range £53 to £1,116), with some families receiving little statutory support. Higher costs were associated with increasing age and symptom severity.
authors.affiliation: King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK. barbara.m.barrett@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Byford
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sharac
authors.forename: Kristelle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hudry
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Leadbitter
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Temple
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aldred
authors.forename: Vicky
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Slonims
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000191:economics*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D006113:United Kingdom
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