The children in the analysis had a mean age of 26.7 months and were 76% male, 19% white, 43% Hispanic, and 25% black.
"From our experience in New York City, a diagnosis made early is largely a valid one," Dr. Shulman said. "The kids who do best [with intervention] have the milder social impairment and the higher cognitive functioning."
Thus far, New York has had a "very generous" approach to intervention for ASD, with early intervention programs making their own diagnoses. "I’m more concerned about places that require [an outside] diagnosis in order to get ASD-specific services in early intervention programs," she noted.
The fifth edition of psychiatry’s diagnostic guide was officially released in May at the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting, shortly after Dr. Shulman presented the findings at the PAS meeting. The update is the first in nearly 20 years.
Dr. Shulman reported that she and her coinvestigators have no relevant disclosures.