Sociodemographic, clinical, and educational characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorder treated at the psychology service of a national hospital in Lima, Peru, in 2024

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition whose prevalence has increased significantly over the past decade. Objective: To describe the sociodemographic, clinical, and educational characteristics of children with ASD treated at the psychology service of a national hospital in Lima, Peru, in 2024. Materials and methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted based on the review of electronic medical records. Data from 420 children were analyzed, considering age, sex, place of residence, family composition, educational level, ICD-10 diagnosis, comorbidities, treatments, and results of standardized assessments of intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior. Descriptive statistics were used. Results: 84.8% were male. The most frequently recorded diagnosis was childhood autism (F84.0). Most lived with both parents, were follow up patients, and attended regular basic education. One-third presented with comorbidities, primarily ADHD (70.9%). Nine percent were receiving pharmacological treatment, and two-thirds were receiving non-pharmacological therapies. Intellectual and adaptive levels were mostly in the low range. Conclusions: The findings reveal a predominance of males, a high frequency of comorbidities, and limited coverage of standardized assessments. There is a clear need to strengthen diagnostic processes, expand access to interdisciplinary evaluations, and optimize the use of electronic health records in the Peruvian public health system.