Ricci M Florencia, Phung Ryan, Zwaigenbaum Lonnie, Hanlon-Dearman Ana, Burns Jessy, Narvey Stefanie, Urquia Marcelo L
Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Paediatr Child Health. 2024 Jun 19;30(2):68-72. doi: 10.1093/pch/pxae031. eCollection 2025 May.
To examine a possible association between parental immigration and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Manitoba, Canada.
Electronic medical records of children diagnosed with ASD between 2016 and 2021 at Manitoba's only publicly funded referral site for ASD evaluation in children ≤6 years of age were reviewed. Children born in or outside of Canada whose parents/guardians (one or both) were foreign-born were identified to have 'immigrant' parents. The proportion of Manitoba's immigrant population (including non-permanent residents) was obtained from 2016 to 2021 Census data and compared to the proportion of children diagnosed with ASD who had immigrant parent(s). Descriptive statistics were used to compare the characteristics of children with ASD born to immigrants versus non-immigrant parents.
Among 1858 children diagnosed with ASD during the study period, 669 (36%) had immigrant parents. This proportion was greater than the proportion of immigrants (and non-permanent residents) living in Manitoba in 2016: 243,835/1,278,365 (19%, P < 0.001) and 2021: 291,910/1,342,153 (21.7%, P < 0.001). Those with immigrant parents had a lower rate of family history of ASD (16.3% versus 33.3% P < 0.001), and associated neurologic comorbidities (4.2% versus 6.4% P: 0.047). There were no statistical differences in rates of preterm birth (15.5% versus 12.36 P: 0.152) or use of Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 in diagnostic approach (30.3% versus 33% P: 0.321) between groups.
There is an over-representation of immigrant families among young children diagnosed with ASD in Manitoba. Further studies are needed to understand mechanisms that may play a role in this association.
研究加拿大曼尼托巴省父母移民与自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）之间可能存在的关联。
回顾了2016年至2021年在曼尼托巴省唯一一家由公共资金资助的6岁及以下儿童ASD评估转诊机构被诊断为ASD的儿童的电子病历。父母/监护人（一方或双方）为外国出生的在加拿大境内或境外出生的儿童被确定为有“移民”父母。从2016年至2021年人口普查数据中获取曼尼托巴省移民人口（包括非永久居民）的比例，并与被诊断为ASD且有移民父母的儿童比例进行比较。使用描述性统计来比较移民父母与非移民父母所生的ASD儿童的特征。
在研究期间被诊断为ASD的1858名儿童中，669名（36%）有移民父母。这一比例高于2016年居住在曼尼托巴省的移民（和非永久居民）比例：243,835/1,278,365（19%，P<0.001）以及2021年的比例：291,910/1,342,153（21.7%，P<0.001）。有移民父母的儿童ASD家族史发生率较低（16.3%对33.3%，P<0.001），且相关神经合并症发生率也较低（4.2%对6.4%，P：0.047）。两组之间早产率（15.5%对12.36，P：0.152）或诊断方法中使用自闭症诊断观察量表-2的比例（30.3%对33%，P：0.321）无统计学差异。
在曼尼托巴省被诊断为ASD的幼儿中，移民家庭的比例过高。需要进一步研究以了解可能在这种关联中起作用的机制。
