What is it about?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition that affects how a child communicates, interacts with others, and behaves. Signs of autism can often be recognized in the first few years of life, and early support can make a significant difference to a child's development. Parents play a vital role because they are usually the first to notice when a child is not meeting expected developmental milestones. This study explored how much parents of children under 3 years of age know about autism and the factors that influence their knowledge. We surveyed 300 parents attending a pediatric outpatient department in Sikkim, India, using a standardized questionnaire on autism knowledge. We found that fewer than half of the parents had heard of autism, and overall knowledge about its signs, causes, and treatment was limited. Parents living in urban areas and those engaged in salaried occupations tended to have better knowledge than those living in rural areas or working in business or daily wage occupations. These findings highlight important gaps in autism awareness and suggest the need for community-based education and awareness programs to help parents recognize developmental concerns early and seek timely support for their children.
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Why is it important?
Autism can often be identified during the first few years of life, and research consistently shows that early intervention leads to better outcomes in communication, social skills, learning, and overall development. However, timely intervention depends on parents recognizing early signs and seeking professional help without delay. This study is important because it highlights a significant gap in autism awareness among parents of young children in Northeast India, with fewer than half of the participants having heard of autism. The findings show that knowledge is not evenly distributed, with parents from rural areas and certain occupational groups being less informed. These disparities may contribute to delays in recognizing developmental concerns and accessing appropriate services. By identifying the factors associated with parental knowledge, this study provides evidence to guide targeted awareness campaigns, parent education programs, and community outreach initiatives. Improving autism awareness can promote earlier recognition, facilitate timely diagnosis and intervention, and ultimately improve developmental outcomes and quality of life for children with autism and their families.
Perspectives
As a psychiatrist working in a tertiary care center in Sikkim, I have frequently encountered children whose developmental concerns were recognized much later than ideal, often after valuable opportunities for early intervention had been missed. In many cases, parents were unfamiliar with the early signs of autism or uncertain about when and where to seek help. This observation motivated us to examine the level of autism awareness among parents of very young children. What makes this study particularly meaningful to me is that it focuses on the critical early years of life, when timely recognition and intervention can have the greatest impact on a child's developmental trajectory. The findings reveal important gaps in parental knowledge and highlight disparities between urban and rural communities, suggesting that many families may not have equal access to information and resources.
Dr. Samrat Singh Bhandari
Sikkim Manipal University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Determinants of Parental Knowledge of Autism in Early Childhood: A Cross-sectional Study from Northeast India, Eastern Journal of Psychiatry, June 2026, Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishing,
DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-11001-0119.
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