CHARACTERISTICS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER IN PEDIATRIC REHABILITATION AT A REFERR AL HOSPITAL IN PERU

Objective. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by developmental alterations, difficulties in social interaction and communication, and restrictive and repetitive behavioral patterns. Despite its high prevalence, few studies have been conducted in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) settings. The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of children with ASD treated at the Pediatric Rehabilitation Service of Rebagliati Hospital (PRS-ERMNH). Materials and methods. Cross-sectional descriptive study. Medical records of children under 14 years of age with ASD treated at PRS-ERMNH during 2022 were reviewed. Results. A total of 120 children with ASD were evaluated. The mean age at diagnosis was 3.83 years. Most received regular education, but for only 9.8% it was inclusive. The mean age at diagnosis of ASD was older than three years. 78.4% did not have disability documentation and 77.5% of them had incomplete psychological evaluation. The median time since the last physical, occupational, and speech and language therapy sessions were 3, 8 and 3.5 months, respectively. Conclusions. The mean age at diagnosis of ASD was older than three years, and over 75% of the patients did not have disability documentation or undergo a complete psychological assessment. The median time since the last rehabilitation therapy sessions was three months or more. These findings emphasize the need to enhance early diagnosis, inclusive education, and disability evaluation and documentation strategies, as well as to establish more timely rehabilitation interventions.