title: Service utilization in a sample of preschool children with autism spectrum disorder: A Canadian snapshot.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe services received by preschool children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during the five-year period following their diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  An inception cohort of preschoolers diagnosed with ASD from Halifax (Nova Scotia), Montreal (Quebec), Hamilton (Ontario), Edmonton (Alberta) and Vancouver (British Columbia) were invited to participate. Parents/caregivers (n=414) described the services provided to their children at four time points: baseline (T1; within four months of diagnosis; mean age three years); six months later (T2); 12 months later (T3); and at school entry (T4). Data were first coded into 11 service types and subsequently combined into four broader categories (no services, behavioural, developmental and general) for analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than 80% of children at T1, and almost 95% at T4 received some type of service, with a significant number receiving >1 type of service at each assessment point. At T1, the most common service was developmental (eg, speech-language therapy). Subsequently, the most common services were a combination of behavioural and developmental (eg, intensive therapy based on applied behaviour analysis and speech-language therapy). Service provision varied across provinces and over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although most preschool children with ASD residing in urban centres were able to access specialized services shortly after diagnosis, marked variation in services across provinces remains a concern.
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta;
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Volden
authors.affiliation: McMaster University, Hamilton;
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Duku
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta;
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shepherd
authors.affiliation: McMaster University, Hamilton;
authors.lastname: Ba
authors.affiliation: McMaster University, Hamilton;
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Georgiades
authors.affiliation: McMaster University, Hamilton;
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.affiliation: McMaster University, Hamilton;
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Di Rezze
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario;
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szatmari
authors.affiliation: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia;
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bryson
authors.affiliation: Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland, Oregon, USA;
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fombonne
authors.affiliation: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia;
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mirenda
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario;
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia;
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario;
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vaillancourt
authors.affiliation: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia;
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Waddell
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta;
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zwaigenbaum
authors.affiliation: McGill University, Montreal, Quebec.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elsabbagh
keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Intervention; Services