Dental Needs and Status of Autistic Children: Results From the National Survey of Children’s Health

Article title: Dental Needs and Status of Autistic Children: Results From the National Survey of Children’s Health

Author(s): Kopycka-Kedzierawski & Auinger.

Journal: Pediatric Dentistry

Year. Volume (number). Page #’s: 2008. 30:1. 54-58.

Major topic: Dental Needs of Autistic Children

Overview of method of research: Survey

Background:
In a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on autism among 8-year-old children living in 14 areas of the US in 2002, the prevalence of children with autism ranged from 3.3-10.6 cases per 1,000 children.

Purpose:
To assess the oral health status and dental needs of a nationally representative sample of 1 to 17-year-old children with or without autism.

Methods:
In the 2003 National Survey of Children’s Health conducted, parents reported the status of their child’s health. A random-digit-dial sample of households with children under 18 years of age was selected from across the US and one child was randomly selected from within the household. The parent or guardian who was the most familiar with the child’s health status was chosen as the respondent. The weighted response rate was 55%. Interviews included questions about:
1. their children’s overall health, including oral status, physical and mental health status, function status
2. health care access and utilization
3. dental and medical insurance status
4. family functioning
5. social well-being
Interviews regarding 95,554 children over the age of 1 who had their natural dentition were conducted and of those, 495 parents answered yes to the question, “Has a doctor or health professional ever told you that (child’s name) has autism?”

Results:
Less than 1% of parents reported their children had autism. The parents of 52% of autistic children reported that their child’s teeth were in excellent or very good condition and another 30% in good condition. The parents of 69% of nonautistic children reported excellent or good children and another 22% in good condition.

Parents with an autistic child were more likely to report fair to poor condition of their child’s teeth than those nonautistic children. Autistic children were more likely than nonautistic children to be: 6-11 year old, male, no-Hispanic white, living in a household with more than a high school education and to have current health insurance.

Autistic and nonautistic children were comparable in regards to dental pain, presence of cavities, broken teeth, misaligned teeth, hygiene, discoloration, enamel problems or bruxism.

Nonautistic children were more likely to have gum problems, problems with nerves (root canal problems) and to have no specific problem even though their parent reported fair or poor teeth.

Key points/Summary:
Parents of US autistic children were more likely to report their children’s dentition to be in fair or poor condition than parents of US nonautistic children.
Autistic and nonautistic children with fair or poor teeth are faced with similar dental problems.

Assessment of Article:
Although the number of autistic children was small and therefore it was difficult to draw statistically significant results and the results were based on the reports of parents which were not verified, the fact that this was one of the largest surveys conducted on the heath of US children made this article interesting.