Prevalence, comorbidities, and profiles of neurodevelopmental disorders according to the DSM-5-TR in children aged 6 years old in a European region.

Background: There are no studies that measure the prevalence and real comorbidities of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) according to the DSM-5-TR in 6-year-old children in population and clinical samples or studies that measure them as a whole. The data on the prevalence of these disorders are usually disparate because of the estimation methods (direct/indirect), the type of sample (population/clinical/school), and the ages studied. Methods: The initial sample (289 subjects) was representative of 6-year-old children in the entire population of Menorca, obtained from pediatric primary care services (100% of the sample). The patients were divided into two groups based on the criterion of verification of clinical warning signs. One of the groups represented the clinical or experimental sample (EG) (81 subjects) at risk of NDDs; the other group was considered the control sample (CG) (210 subjects), and they were subjects without risk of suffering NDDs. A direct clinical assessment of the clinical sample was carried out, and they were administered the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V), the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF-5), the Battery for the evaluation of the processes of revised reading (Batería para la evaluación de los procesos de lectura revisada - PROLEC-R), the Test for the Diagnosis of Basic Mathematical Competences, (TEDI-MATH), and the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ). Results: A total of 21.5% of the initial sample suffered from an NDD. A total of 2.4% presented autism spectrum disorder (ASD); 14% presented attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); 0.34% presented mild intellectual disability; 9.54% presented communication disorder (CD) (5.8% language disorder, 3.4% phonological disorder, and 0.34% stuttering); 10% presented learning disorder with reading difficulties; 5.8% presented learning disorder with difficulties in writing; 3.11% presented learning disorder with difficulties in mathematics; 1% presented transitory tic disorder; 0.34% presented chronic tic disorder; 1% presented Tourette syndrome; 2% presented motor coordination disorder (MCD); and 0.34% presented stereotypic movement disorders. Male children were more affected than female children in general, with male/female ORs of 0.14/0.92 for the presence of comorbidities, 0.11/0.88 for combined ADHD, 0.06/0.87 for language disorder, 1.02/1.27 for MCD, and 1.39/1.02 for inattentive ADHD. Conclusion: In disadvantaged contexts, there was a higher prevalence of NDDs and comorbidities, unless the disorder was extreme, in which case only the NDD manifestations were presented. A significant proportion of the sample had not been previously diagnosed (88.6%); therefore, early detection programs are recommended to identify warning signs and develop policies that help and support the most disadvantaged sectors of the population.

An approach for prevention planning based on the prevalence and comorbidity of neurodevelopmental disorders in 6-year-old children receiving primary care consultations on the island of Menorca.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have estimated the real prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) in Spain and worldwide. However, there are disparate prevalence figures. We consider research in this field essential to improve early detection, secondary prevention, and health planning. METHODS: The Minikid ADHD and TICS-Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents, the Autism Spectrum Quotient (Children's version, AQ- Child) and a protocol of general medical questions were administered for screening purposes. The PROLEXIA battery for children aged from 4 to 6 years was used for direct assessments. Parents provided information on emotional, medical, and school aspects. The final population evaluated using these tools consisted of 291 6-year-old subjects. RESULTS: The overall risk of presenting with a neurodevelopmental disorder was 55.4%. A 23.4% risk of presenting with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in any modality (inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive and combined), a 2.8% risk of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a 30.6% risk of presenting with a learning disorder with reading difficulties, a 5.5% risk of tics and a 22.5% risk of language problems (incomprehensible language or minor language problems) were detected in the sample. The most common combination of disorders was learning and language difficulties, accounting for 6.9% of the sample. The second most frequent combination was the presence of learning and language difficulties and ADHD, accounting for 4.5% of the sample. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of risks detected in our sample seems to be consistent with national and international studies. A significant proportion of our sample had never been previously diagnosed (85%), so early detection programs are recommended.

Current state of knowledge on the prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood according to the DSM-5: a systematic review in accordance with the PRISMA criteria.

OBJECTIVE: To interpret the current evidence on the prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) through a systematic review based on both DSM-5 (2013) and PRISMA criteria. METHOD: Empirical studies complying with the PRISMA guidelines were identified from four databases (PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and ProQuest) and systematically reviewed. In total, 17 articles were selected for the study. RESULTS: In the scientific literature, there have been only a few studies measuring the prevalence of NDDs according to the DSM-5 (2013) criteria in people under 18 years old. The reported prevalence rates were as follows: intellectual disability (ID), 0.63%; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 5-11%; autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 0.70-3%; specific learning disorder (SLD), 3-10%; communication disorders (CDs), 1-3.42%; and motor disorders (MDs), 0.76-17%. Although there is extensive literature on specific disorders, NDDs have rarely been assessed as a whole. All of the reviewed studies support the idea that such disorders can be considered chronic, heterogeneous, underdiagnosed conditions and that comorbidity of multiple NDDs is the norm. Likewise, it is estimated that the prevalence of the most studied disorders, such as ADHD, ASD and SLD, remains stable over time and is consistent in different cultures, ages, ethnicities and sexes. CONCLUSION: The studies reviewed lead us to conclude that the prevalence rate of NDDs fluctuates globally between 4.70 and 88.50%; these variations depend on methodological aspects such as estimation procedures, as well as on sociocontextual phenomena. It is also important to consider that the prevalence found is probably highly influenced by the activity of the countries in the diagnosis and training of professionals who care for children and adolescents. Hence, there is a need for a secondary intervention in the fields of public health and education to minimize socioemotional consequences, prevent academic failure, and reduce the economic cost to society.