Autism Spectrum Disorder in Childhood: Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics in a Private Center, Honduras

Abstract

Introduction: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterised by dysfunction in two areas: impaired communication and social interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviours, interests or activities. Objective: To describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder who were treated at the Speech and Language Stimulation Centre, a private sector institution. Methods: A quantitative, retrospective study was conducted, reviewing the clinical records of children aged 2 to 18 years who attended the Speech and Language Stimulation Centre (CEHL) in Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán, from January 2022 to November 2024. 1,527 records were reviewed, and 161 were selected with a diagnosis of ASD. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed; institutional endorsement was obtained. Results: The proportion of children with ASD was 10%. Of these, 80.7% (130) were male; 60.9% (98) of the mothers reported no complications during pregnancy; 58.4% (94) of the births were by caesarean section; the most common comorbidity was mixed language disorder, at 45% (73). Difficulties in symbolic play were identified in 54.6% (86); morphological problems in 67% (108); pragmatic difficulties in 67.7% (109); and semantic problems in 60.9%. Stereotypies were recorded in 54% (87); and the level of autism found was type 1 (requires support) in 48.1% (77). Discussion: The clinical-epidemiological characteristics found are similar to those reported in the literature and show a high proportion of children with ASD, which is a warning sign that should motivate the search for detection and timely management.