Characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorder in pediatric rehabilitation at a referral hospital in Peru

Abstract

Objective. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by developmental disorders, difficulties in social interaction and communication, and restrictive  and repetitive patterns of behavior. Despite its high prevalence, few studies have been conducted in rehabilitation settings. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of children with ASD from the Pediatric Rehabilitation Service of the Rebagliati Hospital (SRP-HNERM). Materials and methods. Cross-sectional descriptive study. We reviewed the medical records of children under 14 years of age previously diagnosed with ASD from the SRP-HNERM during 2022. Results. A total of 120 children with ASD were evaluated. The median age was 5 years. Most received regular education, but it was inclusive only for 9.8%. The mean age at diagnosis was 3.83 years. We found that 78.4% had no disability certificate and 77.5% of the participants
had incomplete psychological evaluation. The median time since the last physical, occupational and speech
therapy sessions was 3, 8 and 3.5 months respectively. Conclusion. The mean age at diagnosis of ASD was older
than three years, and more than 75% of the patients had neither a disability certificate nor a complete psychological evaluation. The median time since the last rehabilitation therapy sessions was three months or more. Our findings highlight the need to improve early diagnosis, inclusive education and evaluation and subsequent certification of disability, as well as to establish timely interventions.