Autism spectrum disorder: evaluation of community-based screening program.

Background/aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the results of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) screenings conducted in a region of İstanbul between 2018 and 2023.

Materials and methods: This descriptive study was conducted between April 2018 and February 2023 among 25,839 children aged between 18-36 months who had been screened for autism spectrum disorder in Sultanbeyli, İstanbul. Children between 18-36 months are examined and a form consisting of 5 questions and typical symptoms of ASD is filled. Each question is answered as yes or no. Answering yes to at least one of the questions is sufficient to direct them to child psychiatry.

Results: Between 2018 and 2023, a total of 25,839 children were screened for autism spectrum disorders, 1449 children were found to be at risk, and 88 were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. According to the sex distribution of the children, the male:female ratio is 3.6:1. The 5-year prevalence was found to be 0.9%. With the effect of the pandemic between 2020 and 2021, screening rates have decreased and the number of diagnoses has decreased. The most common symptom among those diagnosed is delay in speaking, and the second is inability to make eye contact.

Conclusion: Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder whose prevalence is increasing globally and for which early diagnosis is important. To recognize this disease, it is necessary to increase screening and raise awareness among families. This study will also shed light on future studies on this subject.