An Epidemiological Study On Autism Behavior Of Preschool Children In Tongling

Objectives To study the present situation and epidemical character of autism behavior among preschool children, and the risk factors of childhood autism behavior in urban area in Tongling city. Methods A cross-sectional study and a case-control study were conducted with 3559~ preschool children aged from 3 to 5 years old in 21 kindergartens, selected from 35 by mass random sampling in October and November 2000. Data were collected through individual interviews using Clancy Autism Behavior Scale and a children and parents health information questionnaire. Data were input using EPI-5 and analysed using SPSS 10.0 for windows. Results There were 2061 boys and 1498 girls who belong to investigated objects, whose autism behavior detected rates were 13.5% and 9.9%, respectively, while the total autism behavior detected rate of preschool children was 11.8%, the autism positive rate among was 2.5%. The total detected rate of item 搊ften?was 18.3%, 1.4 per person on average. The interrelationships between childhood autism behavior and sex, gestational age, months in which infant born, hospitalization days, education background of parents were obvious. Futhermore, there were different autism positive rates among preschool children in different age, gestational age, months in which infant born , feeding ways, and education background of parents, et al. This study displayed that December and January were risk months to children who born in. In addition, post-term born, hospitalization days of neonate, age of father over 35 and age of mother under 22 when newborn born , and gestation period anemia or crus swell were risk factors of autism behavior to preschool children. On the other hand, milk 3 feeding, normal term born, and high educational background of parents were preservative factors of that to preschool children. Conclusions It showed that prevention and health care on childhood autism behavior shoud be emphasized. The relationships between childhood autism behavior and factors in fetal period, education background of parents, and some surrounding factors were showed. Gestaional period care for mother and neonate health care should be payed attention to. Screening and intervening earlier of autism behavior among preschool children should be developed.