22q11 deletion syndrome is associated with socialization and communication disorders. The question is often asked whether the symptoms presented in young children correspond to symptoms of autism and in what proportion these symptoms are observed and with what severity. The article and video below by this Israeli team attempts to provide an answer to this question.
In this article from Serur, Frumer, Daon, Sobol-Havia, Weinverger, Shulman & Gothelf (2018), the authors identified psychiatric disorders and autistic phenotype of young children with 22q11DS (age3–8years) and compared them with those of age and sex-matched children with idiopathic autism (iASD). They found that 84% of the children with 22q11DS had at least one psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorders and ADHD, and 16% met strict criteria for ASD.
They concluded that there is a need to screen for psychiatric disorders in 22q11DS and treat them already in preschool years. Therefore, it is recommended to all parents to take their children to a psychiatric assessment from preschool years so they can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
Download the PDF of this research.