TABLE 2.
Phenotypic characteristics of preschool children enrolled in the Study to Explore Early Development Phases 1–3, stratified by study group.
| ASD | DD | POP | ASD:DD | ASD:POP | DD:POP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N = 2059 | N = 3139 | N = 3249 | p-Value | p-Value | p-Value | |
| Mean | Mean | Mean | ||||
| Child age at enrollment (months) | 51.7 | 52.6 | 50.8 | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 |
| Early learning composite score | 63.7 | 85.2 | 102.1 | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 |
| N (%) | N (%) | N (%) | ||||
| Adaptive delays | ||||||
| No | 335 (16.5) | 446 (40.6) | / | <0.01 | / | / |
| Yes | 1699 (83.5) | 653 (59.4) | / | |||
| Missing | 25 | 2040 | / | |||
| Behavior problems | ||||||
| Anxiety | ||||||
| No | 1572 (78.6) | 1696 (86.6) | 2322 (96.1) | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 |
| Yes | 429 (21.4) | 263 (13.4) | 95 (3.9) | |||
| Missing | 58 | 1180 | 832 | |||
| Attention deficits/hyperactivity | ||||||
| No | 1408 (70.4) | 1697(86.6) | 2365 (97.8) | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 |
| Yes | 593 (29.6) | 262 (13.4) | 52 (2.2) | |||
| Missing | 58 | 1180 | 832 | |||
| Sleep problems | ||||||
| No | 1583 (79.1) | 1732 (88.4) | 2327 (96.3) | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 |
| Yes | 418 (20.9) | 227 (11.6) | 90 (3.7) | |||
| Missing | 58 | 1180 | 832 | |||
| Sensory dysfunction | ||||||
| Sensory diagnosis | ||||||
| No | 1536 (76.3) | 2464 (91.4) | 2660 (99.2) | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 |
| Yes | 477 (23.7) | 233 (8.6) | 22 (0.8) | |||
| Missing | 46 | 442 | 567 | |||
| Unusual sensory interests | ||||||
| No | 448 (21.3) | 390 (53.3) | / | <0.01 | / | / |
| Yes | 1609 (78.7) | 342 (46.7) | / | |||
| Missing | 2 | 2407 | / | |||
| Negative response to noise | ||||||
| No | 728 (35.4) | 353 (50.4) | / | <0.01 | / | / |
| Yes | 1328 (64.6) | 377 (49.6) | / | |||
| Missing | 3 | 2409 | / | |||
| Idiosyncratic response to certain stimuli | ||||||
| No | 1262 (61.4) | 540 (74.0) | / | <0.01 | / | / |
| Yes | 792 (38.6) | 190 (26.0) | / | |||
| Missing | 5 | 2409 | / |
Note: p-Values do not include missing categories; adaptive delays, unusual sensory interests, negative response to noise, and idiosyncratic response to certain stimuli were not measured in POP children (denoted with a/symbol) and only a subset of DD children; and behavior problems were measured only in a subset of DD children. Abbreviations: ASD, autism spectrum disorder; DD, other developmental delay or disability; POP, population comparison.