Early concerns in parents of infants at risk for autism.

AIM: To examine parental concerns about children at increased familial risk (i.e. high risk) of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in early infancy.

METHOD: ASD-related and general parental concerns were prospectively collected for 76 infants at ages 1.5, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months. Outcome classification was determined at 36 months. Analyses included generalized linear mixed models and qualitative evaluation of parental concerns in relation to risk status (high vs low risk) and outcome classification within the high-risk group (atypically developing vs typically developing) over time.

RESULTS: Most parents had no concerns at 1.5 (high risk 71%, low risk 87%) and 3 months (high risk 77%, low risk 86%). Beginning at 6 months, parents of high-risk infants reported more ASD-related (p<0.001) and general concerns (p=0.003) than parents of low-risk infants. Beginning at 12 months, parents of high-risk atypically developing infants reported more ASD-related concerns than parents of high-risk typically developing infants (p=0.013).

INTERPRETATION: Clinicians should elicit parental concerns and provide support, as parents are worried about their high-risk infants by age 6 months. Additionally, parents' abilities to identify concerns that are suggestive of ASD by age 12 months may aid in earlier screening and intervention. What this paper adds Most parents did not report concerns during early infancy. By 6 months, parents of high-risk infants reported autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-related and general concerns. By 12 months, parents of high-risk atypically developing infants identified ASD-related concerns.