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Higher education is an increasingly necessary achievement to attain employment. However, even in cases where a student has the academic skills to succeed, educational environments may not support students across all other domains necessary for education success, including social and communication needs. This is especially true for students with disabilities and autistic students, where the rate of completion of non-compulsory education is unknown. We used the Stockholm Youth Cohort (children aged 0–17 years from 2001 to 2011), a total population cohort (N = 736,180) including 3,918 autistic individuals, to investigate the association between autism without intellectual disability and completion of upper secondary education. We assessed the impact of sex and co-occurring Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on this association. By age 20 years (the expected age of completion), 68% of autistic students and 91% of non-autistic students admitted to upper secondary education had completed. In logistic regression models adjusted for student demographics, autistic students had almost five-fold higher odds of not completing secondary school (OR 4.90, 95% CI 4.56 5.26) compared to their non-autistic peers. Autistic students with ADHD had particularly high odds of non-completion of upper secondary school. Autistic students without intellectual disability attending mainstream education are substantially less likely to complete upper secondary education as compared to their peers. These findings have implications for the appraisal of how inclusive school policies serve autistic students’ academic and social needs, ultimately addressing population health and independent living. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anxiety is common in children with ASD; however, the burden of specific anxiety disorders for adults with ASD is under-researched. Using the Stockholm Youth Cohort, we compared anxiety disorder diagnoses among autistic adults (n = 4049), with or without intellectual disability, and population controls (n = 217,645). We conducted additional sibling analyses. Anxiety disorders were diagnosed in 20.1% of adults with ASD compared with 8.7% of controls (RR = 2.62 [95% CI 2.47–2.79]), with greatest risk for autistic people without intellectual disability. Rates of almost all individual anxiety disorders were raised, notably obsessive–compulsive disorder and phobic anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders were more common in full siblings and half-siblings of people with ASD. The implications of this are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two community-based cohorts of children with autism spectrum disorder, examined using similar assessment protocols, were pooled (n = 301) and subdivided according to history of regression. Those with regression (n = 62), 20.5% of the combined cohort, were contrasted with those without regression (n = 241) at first assessment (age range 19–60 months) and at 2-year follow-up on a range of measures. The regression group was significantly more functionally impaired, with regard to intellectual function (p <.001), language development (p <.001), and to severity of autism (p <.01) at both T1 and T2. Only 14 (23.3%) had a clearly identified underlying etiology [24 (18.6%) in the non-regressive group]. There were no significant differences between those who had regressed 'from normal' and those who had regressed 'from low' functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a Swedish sample of persons eligible for disability services and aged 55 years or older in 2012, persons (n = 601) with autism spectrum disorder diagnoses registered in specialist care were identified. Register data concerning diagnoses of other psychiatric disorders, psychiatric care, and psychiatric medication were reviewed. More than 60% had been in contact with psychiatric care. The majority had no intellectual disability (ID) diagnosis recorded during the study period. Apart from ID, affective disorders, anxiety and psychotic disorders were most commonly registered; alcohol/substance abuse disorders were uncommon. Psychotropic drug prescriptions were very common, especially in the ID group. Professionals need awareness of this vulnerable group; studies concerning their life circumstances and service requirements should be conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of autism in children with blindness is much higher than in the general population. There are many challenges regarding the school situation for children with this complex dual disability. This study explored challenges and successful strategies in school for a sample of six Swedish children with blindness and autism, with and without intellectual disability, through qualitative interviews with students, teachers and parents. All students displayed executive functioning deficits, and the teaching situation entailed several challenges. Our research points to the importance of adopting evidence-based practices for ASD, but adapted according to the students lack of vision. For this to be possible, close collaboration between teachers, parents and specialists in the field of visual impairment and autism is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a record-linkage study in Stockholm, Sweden, the year 2011 prevalence of diagnosed autism spectrum disorders (ASD) was found to be 0.40, 1.74, 2.46, and 1.76 % among 0-5, 6-12, 13-17, and 18-27 year olds, respectively. The corresponding proportion of cases with a recorded diagnosis of intellectual disability was 17.4, 22.1, 26.1 and 29.4 %. Between 2001 and 2011, ASD prevalence increased almost 3.5 fold among children aged 2-17 years. The increase was mainly accounted for by an eightfold increase of ASD without intellectual disability (from 0.14 to 1.10 %), while the prevalence of ASD with intellectual disability increased only slightly (from 0.28 to 0.34 %). The increase in ASD prevalence is likely contributed to by extrinsic factors such as increased awareness and diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disabilities in a child may lead to low self-esteem and social problems. The lives of parents and siblings are also affected. Early intervention may decrease these consequences. To promote early intervention early referral to adequate resources is essential. In a longitudinal retrospective observational study it was found that children with neuropsychiatric disorders without mental retardation were referred 30 months later than other children. Agreement between the referrer's identification of the main disability and the habilitation center's was low with Kappa coefficient 0.44. Whereby agreement on diagnosis between referrer and habilitation centers was low, earlier referral should be promoted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]