Average Age Of Parents Research Articles

Risk of central nervous system tumors in the offspring of individuals exposed to production radiation

Aim. To assess the risk of malignant central nervous system (CNS) tumors among the first-generation offspring of workers from the Mayak Production Association.Materials and Methods. A retrospective epidemiological analysis was conducted in a cohort of the offspring of workers from Russia's first nuclear power plant (n = 8890), born between 1949 and 1973. The comparison group consisted of 4345 offspring born during the same period to non-exposed parents. The observation period covered 72 years (1949−2020), with a total of 818,208 person-years of follow-up. The analysis focused on the frequency, dynamics, and structure of CNS malignancies. The relative risk of CNS tumors and the excess relative risk per unit dose of parental occupational radiation exposure were calculated with 95% confidence intervals.Results. Overall, the frequency of CNS tumors in both groups over the entire observation period did not differ significantly (3.4 per 1000 in the main group, 1.8 per 1000 in the comparison group). Analysis of CNS tumor incidence dynamics across calendar periods showed no significant differences, with the peak in the main group occurring during 2001−2010. No significant differences were found in the age of CNS tumor onset or the average age of parents at the time of offspring birth. Histological structure and localization of CNS tumors varied across groups. The relative risk assessment for CNS tumors showed a statistically insignificant increase in risk among the offspring in the main group when considering total observations and sex-specific analyses. Among the offspring of mothers with confirmed preconceptional and intrauterine occupational radiation exposure, the relative risk of CNS tumors was higher for males and both sexes combined (3.6 [1.06−12.28] and 2.74 [1.08−6.93]; 4.34 [1.27−14.77] and 3.3 [1.31−8.36], respectively). However, the analysis of excess relative risk did not indicate significant risk estimates for maternal radiation exposure, neither in general nor across different dose intervals.Conclusion. The study did not confirm the hypothesis that parental occupational radiation exposure influences the risk of CNS tumors in offspring. Given the relatively young age of the cohort and the low number of CNS tumor cases, issues related to maternal radiation exposure require further observation.

Germline mutation rate predicts cancer mortality across 37 vertebrate species

Abstract Cancer develops across nearly every species. However, cancer occurs at unexpected and widely different rates throughout the animal kingdom. The reason for this variation in cancer susceptibility remains an area of intense investigation. Cancer evolves in part through the accumulation of mutations and, therefore, we hypothesized that germline mutation rates would be associated with cancer prevalence and mortality across species. We collected previously published data on germline mutation rate and cancer mortality data for 37 vertebrate species. Germline mutation rate was positively correlated with cancer mortality (P-value = 0.0008; R² = 0.13). Controlling for species average parental age, maximum longevity, adult body mass, or domestication did not improve the model fit (ΔAIC < 2). However, this model fit was better than a model controlling for species trophic level (ΔAIC > 2). The increased death rate from cancer in animals with increased germline mutation rates may suggest underlying hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes similar to those diagnosed in human patients. Species with higher germline mutation rates may benefit from close monitoring for tumors due to increased genetic risk for cancer development. Early diagnoses of cancer in these species may increase their chances of overall survival, especially for threatened and endangered species.

Qualitative Analysis of School Re-Entry Experiences of Turkish Survivors of Childhood and Adolescent Cancer: Parental Perspective

This study aimed to explore the school re-entry experiences of Turkish survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer. In this qualitative study, semistructured in-depth interviews were undertaken with parents of childhood cancer survivors who had completed treatment for at least 2 years (n = 20). Interviews were conducted via telephone or video conferencing. The study was conducted and reported according to the COREQ (Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research) guidelines. The components of qualitative rigor were considered to ensure confidence in the methods and data. The average age of parents was 43.20 ± 4.66 years (range 37-55) (n = 20). The mean age of survivors was 8.45 ± 2.03 years at diagnosis and 15.05 ± 2.08 years during the study. The diagnosis of most of the survivors was lymphoma (35%). Four main themes were developed: worry; challenging situations; negative effects of the disease process; and facilitating situations. Parents stated that both children and parents need support during the school re-entry process. This study revealed that survivors may experience problems that make school re-entry difficult. With cooperation between the health team and the school, arrangements should be made to ensure survivors have a positive experience on school re-entry. Pediatric oncology nurses should know survivors' requirements and take action to deliver school re-entry adjustment programs.

Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Activity and Screen Time of School Children: A Cross-sectional Study from Chandigarh

Background The nationwide lockdown imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted daily routines, especially for children. Being at home and attending virtual classes unintentionally precipitated an increase in both academic and nonacademic screen time and probably led to decreased physical activity in children. However, there is lack of evidence related to the physical activity and screen time of school-age children during the COVID-19 pandemic. So this study aimed to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on physical activity and screen time of children. Methods An online survey was used to recruit parents of school-age children through convenience sampling. Parents were asked to compare their child’s physical activity and screen time in the previous week with those in the pre-lockdown and lockdown periods. The global physical activity questionnaire was used to assess physical activity, and a screen time questionnaire was developed and validated. Data collection was done from September 2020 to December 2020. Results Data of 104 children were collected from parents’ reports. The average age of parents was 39.1 + 4.8 years for mothers and 40.8 + 6.9 years for fathers. Results revealed a decrease in physical activity from 564.95 min/week before the lockdown to 146.05 min/week during the lockdown, with the absolute decrease of 448.9 min/week. Total screen time increased from 2.42 h/day before the lockdown to 7.41 h/day during the lockdown. Conclusion Necessary steps to mitigate the effect of COVID-19 pandemic unintentionally affected children in terms of decreased physical activity and increased screen time.

Parents’ mental health state and self perceived difficulties of their children

Abstract Past research shows that parents’ mental health is highly associated with children's emotional and behavioural state. The study aimed to explore and verify the hypothesis that high self perceived parental depression and anxiety levels increase observed emotional/behavioural problems in their children. The sample included 53 parent-child pairs, residents of Crete, Greece where the average age of parents (88.7% females) was 42.30 yrs (SD = 5.41) and with mean child (54.7% males) age of 9.16 (SD = 1.36), who presented for learning difficulties assessment at a community Mobile Unit. Among them, 64.2% had university degree while 24.5% had secondary education. The tools used were Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) to assess depression and anxiety symptoms in parents and Child Behaviour CheckList (CBCL /6-18 DSM-oriented scales) to assess observed emotional/behavioural problems of their children (Emotional and Somatic Problems, Anxiety, Attention Deficit, Oppositional Defiant Problems, Conduct Problems). The study found a significant positive correlation (r=.400; p=.011) between BAI (M = 11.89, SD = 8.48) and Anxiety Problems in the CBCL (M = 2.93; SD = 2.11). Additionally, there was a significant positive correlation between BDI (M = 11.44, SD = 10.63) and Emotional Problems (M = 4.22, SD = 3.34), with r = 0.427 (p=.006) as well as with Anxiety Problems (r=.427; p=.006). These results indicate a link between parents’ self perceived anxiety with the anxiety they observe in their children and parents’ self perceived depression levels with the emotional and anxiety problems they identify in their children. It seems that anxious and depressed parents tend to highly identify same characteristics in their children. For the future it is recommended to test a bigger sample and also evaluate children's own beliefs. Nevertheless, the study confirms the connection between parental and child mental health which cannot be ignored when designing family based interventions. Key messages • Understanding parents’ mental health issues could improve children’s lives and inform health policy planning. • Validated tools need to be introduced in community health setting to early detect parent mental health issues.

Vaccine Hesitancy of COVID-19 among Parents for Their Children in Middle Eastern Countries-A Systematic Review.

The current systematic review presents COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among parents for their children in Middle Eastern countries. Moreover, the vaccine acceptance rate of parents from the Middle East and the factors effecting the acceptance rate were reviewed and summarized. For this systematic review, basic electronic academic databases (Scopus, Science Direct, ProQuest, Web of Science and PubMed) were used for the search, along with a manual search on Google Scholar. This systematic review was conducted by following the "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)" guidelines. Moreover, utilizing the framework of the PECO-S (Population Exposure Comparison Outcome Study design), various observational studies were recruited for this review. Out of 2123 studies, 25 studies meeting the inclusion criteria were included in the current review. All of the included studies were about parental vaccine hesitancy for COVID-19 in Middle Eastern countries and published during 2020-2022. Overall, 25 research papers comprising 10 different Middle Eastern countries with 33,558 parents were included. The average age of parents was 39.13 (range: 18-70) years, while the mean age of children was 7.95 (range: 0-18) years. The overall hesitancy rate was 44.2% with a SD of ± 19.7. The included studies presented enhanced COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among parents in Middle Eastern countries. The lower vaccine acceptance rate among parents was mainly because of a fear of the potential side effects. Furthermore, the lack of information regarding vaccine safety and efficacy, the fear of unreported side effects and concerns about the authenticity of vaccine development and preparation were the predictors of parental COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Middle Eastern countries.

Адаптация опросника родительского посредничества детской медиа-активности Г. Нимрод, Д. Лемиш, Н. Элиас на российской выборке родителей старших дошкольников

<p>The issue of digitization of modern childhood is attracting increasing attention from researchers. In most cases, we obtain information about how preschoolers use various gadgets from parents. Literature analysis has shown that many authors consider the strategies through which adults regulate and mediate the influence of digital devices and various media products on children as the most adequate parameter for studying parental mediation of children's media activity. However, there are not many tools available for studying this phenomenon. Such questionnaires are more common in English-language literature. The task was to adapt the questionnaire "Parental Mediation of Children's Media Activity" by G. Nimrod, D. Lemish, and N. Elias, which has proven itself well, for the Russian-speaking sample. The study involved 322 parents of children in the upper preschool age group attending kindergartens in large and small cities (average age of parents was 28.5 years, including 237 women and 85 men). The study showed that the adapted Russian-language questionnaire differs from the original in its factor structure and consists of 12 statements and three scales: restrictive mediation strategy, instructive mediation strategy, and co-use. The Russian-language questionnaire demonstrates test-retest reliability, internal consistency, construct, and convergent validity, and can be used to study parental mediation and assess children's media activity for the Russian-speaking sample.</p>

Challenges and Concerns of Parents with Children with Down Syndrome

Down syndrome is a common chromosomal abnormality that affects individuals in their physical, cognitive, and social development. The diagnosis of this syndrome in a newborn can be challenging for parents as it may disrupt family dynamics. In this study, we describe the different aspects of the impact of Down syndrome on parents, including psychological, social, and familial impacts. 55 cases participated in this survey; the average age of parents was 34 years old, and mothers represented 96% of the participants. 70% of cases were from urban areas. The average time between diagnosis and parental evaluation was 32.7 months. In 57% of families, the diagnosis of Down syndrome was established only after the third month of pregnancy, and only 5% obtained it during the prenatal period. Depression was reported in 32% of mothers at the time of diagnosis, while one mother exhibited persistent denial of her child’s disability. 30% of families indicated that their child with Down syndrome was the source of tension within the couple and that learning difficulties were the main factor of tension, while 1% eventually divorced. 5% of parents regretted having a child with Down syndrome. All mothers expressed concerns about their child’s future and are in favor of the establishment of a national screening program for trisomy 21 and dedicated learning centers to ensure social and professional integration.

The role of educating parents of children with fever and febrile convulsions in reducing the intensity of anxiety of parents; A Quasi-experimental study in Gorgan, Iran

Introduction: Fever and convulsions are one of the most common forms of convulsions and the cause of hospitalization in children under 5 years old. The occurrence of fever and convulsions in a child causes parents to worry about the child’s death, and this mental pressure can harm the parent’s mental health. Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of education in reducing the intensity of anxiety of parents with a child with fever and seizures due to fever in Gorgan. Patients and Methods: In this quasi-experimental study 49 parents of children who had fever and convulsions caused by fever in the second half of 2018 and were admitted to Taleghani hospital in Gorgan were studied. The intensity of anxiety was measured using the Burns Anxiety Inventory questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 24 statistical software. Results: In this study, 49 parents of children with fever and seizures were investigated. The average age of parents was 30.27 ± 12.82 years. The ethnicity of 63.3% of parents was Fars and 91.8% of participating parents were mothers, 86.6% of mothers were household and 12.2% were employed. The results of the study showed that the level of anxiety of the parents before the training was such that 2% of the parents had minimal or no anxiety, 1.6% had mild anxiety and 49% of the parents had extreme anxiety or panic. Conclusion: In the present study, after the educational intervention, the anxiety of the parents compared to before the training showed a significant decrease, which shows the effect of the training on reducing the anxiety of the parents.

Overview of Family Economic Status and Environmental Sanitation of Stunting Toddler Homes

Stunting is a malnutrition problem in children characterized by a short body with a size of <-2 elementary school, this greatly affects the quality of life of children in the future. The stunting prevalence of Kendal district was recorded at 4,324 people under five. Some of the factors that cause stunting include parental caregiver practices, family income, education level, employment, number of family members, environmental sanitation, and access to health services. The purpose of this study is to determine the picture of family economic status and sanitary conditions of the home environment of stunting toddlers. This study is a descriptive survey study with a cross sectional approach with a population of 680 people, a sample of 251 people. Implementation of research in five areas of Puskesmas Kendal Regency stunting locus area. The results of this study found that the average age of parents of stunting toddlers was 33 years, mothers with high school education 43.8%, fathers with junior high school education 45.8%, male toddlers 52.6%, classification of stunting toddlers in the very short category 52.6%, the majority of family economic status under UMK Kendal 68.1%, and sanitary conditions of the family home environment in the medium category 44.6% and less 14.7%. This study describes the economic status of stunting toddler families in the low category under Kendal MSEs and the sanitary conditions of the home environment are lacking. Families are expected to strive to improve the family economy and sanitation facilities, a healthy home environment, and behave clean and healthy.

Generation Time in Stage-Structured Populations under Fluctuating Environments.

AbstractA common measure of generation time is the average distance between two recruitment events along a genetic lineage. In populations with stage structure that live in a constant environment, this generation time can be computed from the elasticities of stable population growth to fecundities, and it is equivalent to another common measure of generation time: the average parental age of reproductive-value-weighted offspring. Here, we show three things. First, when the environment fluctuates, the average distance between two recruitment events along a genetic lineage is computed from the elasticities of the stochastic growth rate to fecundities. Second, under environmental stochasticity, this measure of generation time remains equivalent to the average parental age of reproductive-value-weighted offspring. Third, the generation time of a population in a fluctuating environment may deviate from the generation time the population would have in the average environment.

Pandemisi Sırasında İstanbul/Türkiye'deki Ebeveynlerin Diş Tedavisine Yaklaşımlarının Değerlendirilmesi: Kesitsel Araştırma

Objective: Due to the transmission of coronavirus by particle or droplet, diagnosis and treatment of dental problems during the pandemic period in dental settings has been seen as a direct infection risk. This study aimed to compare parents' approach to dental treatment with their educational background during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in İstanbul. Material and Methods: The parents were invited to answer the questionnaire via electronic form. The questionnaire form consists of 3 parts: (i) the sociodemographic characteristics of the parents (age, gender, educational level and number of children) (ii) parents' behaviors, risk perceptions and knowledge levels during the COVID-19 pandemic (iii) parents' approaches to dental treatment during the pandemic period (risk perceptions, behaviors and attitudes). The data was evaluated through the SPSS 25.0 statistical package program. Chi-square, Fisher's exact, Bonferroni correction and student t-tests were used to evaluate the difference for categorical variables (p<0.05). Results: Response rate was 73.2% (366 parents). The average age of parents is 28.76. Parents with university or higher education level preferred not to go out as a precaution in the pandemic compared to parents with high school or less education level (p=0.044). When their children had toothache complaints during the pandemic period, the situation of taking them to the dentist was statistically significant and higher in parents with a university or higher education level (p=0.003). Conclusion: All these evaluations show that people with a high level of education have behaved more sensitive in terms of both virus protection and dental treatment behaviors during the pandemic period.

AWARENESS OF PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES ABOUT EARLY SUPPORT SERVICES

Parents of children with disabilities receive many different forms of support, and among those is also the support provided by professionals from different systems. It is very important for parents to be informed about early support services so that their children can be included in the services in a timely manner. The aim of this research was to determine parents’ awareness of the system of early support services for children with disabilities and their families in Brod-Posavina and Istria counties.In total, 152 parents participated in the study, out of which 63,8% were female and 36,2% were male. The average age of parents is 38 years. Data was collected using a questionnaire specifically designed for the purpose of this study, which is a component of a large-scale research on early support provided to children with disabilities and their parents. The first part of the questionnaire concerns sociodemographic characteristics, while the second part deals with the parents’ awareness of the system of early support services with regard to sociodemographic characteristics of parents. Considering the findings of the regression analysis, parents with a higher education were also better informed about early support services (ß = .25, p &lt; .01). The collected data are a useful source about information of early support services by parents.Key words: system of early support services, parents' awareness, children with disabilities.

Estimating the genome-wide mutation rate from thousands of unrelated individuals

We provide a method for estimating the genome-wide mutation rate from sequence data on unrelated individuals by using segments of identity by descent (IBD). The length of an IBD segment indicates the time to shared ancestor of the segment, and mutations that have occurred since the shared ancestor result in discordances between the two IBD haplotypes. Previous methods for IBD-based estimation of mutation rate have required the use of family data for accurate phasing of the genotypes. This has limited the scope of application of IBD-based mutation rate estimation. Here, we develop an IBD-based method for mutation rate estimation from population data, and we apply it to whole-genome sequence data on 4,166 European American individuals from the TOPMed Framingham Heart Study, 2,996 European American individuals from the TOPMed My Life, Our Future study, and 1,586 African American individuals from the TOPMed Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network study. Although mutation rates may differ between populations as a result of genetic factors, demographic factors such as average parental age, and environmental exposures, our results are consistent with equal genome-wide average mutation rates across these three populations. Our overall estimate of the average genome-wide mutation rate per 108 base pairs per generation for single-nucleotide variants is 1.24 (95% CI 1.18-1.33).

Parents’ Perception regarding Nursing Care of their Child in Tertiary Care Hospital, Lahore

Background: The nursing care of child effect the health of the child somehow. As, the health of child is effecting the health of the parents. This research was planned to check the perception of parents related to nursing care of their admitted child in the hospitals. Materials and Methods: This study was a crossectional and conducted at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore from Septmeber 2021 to January 2022. After getting approval and review from hospital committee, a total of 120 parent were selected for data collection out of which 100 filled out structured questionnaires. Data was analysed on SPSS version 21.0, and different tables were generated. Results: The average age of parents was 31.19 years, while about 45% of them have some bachelor level education. The level of good perception was maximum in parents having higher eduation while bad perception was in having secondary education. Overall perception rates of good and bad perception was 63% and 37%, respectively. Conclusion: The majority of the parents have a good perception of nursing care of their ill child. More than one-third of the participants agreed that nurses should not be rude, hostile, and unkempt. Nurses’ managers should support the nurses to get a higher level of education and to get admissions in specialization so the number of specifically skilled holders should be increased in the specific ward. Keywords: Perception, Parents, Nursing care

Group interventions for mental health and parenting in parents with adverse childhood experiences: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

AbstractObjectiveThis meta‐analysis synthesizes the effects of group parenting interventions (GPIs) on mental health and parenting‐related outcomes among parents with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).BackgroundParents' history of ACEs can jeopardize parental mental health and impede their children's development through dysfunctional parenting. GPIs are increasingly applied to parents with ACEs, but their effectiveness remains to be synthesized.MethodWe identified 12 relevant studies that involve 709 families from PsycINFO, Medline, CINAHL Plus, and Embase. The overall intervention effect size was estimated by adjusted pooled standardized mean difference using random‐effects models, and moderator analyses were performed to explore the variability in intervention effects. Risks of bias and publication bias were also assessed.ResultsMost of the parents in the included studies were mothers from ethnic minority groups who had limited family support and a low socioeconomic status. The average age of parents ranged from 18 to 32 years. GPIs showed small positive effects on parenting (Hedge's g = 0.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.22, 0.49]) and parent mental health (g = 0.34, CI [0.16, 0.53]), with some variability across the studies.ConclusionGPIs show promising effects in improving parenting and mental health among parents who have experienced early‐childhood trauma.ImplicationsAddressing the needs of parents with ACEs warrants a comprehensive intervention framework. Interventions for parents with ACEs should balance the focus on building healthy parent–child attachment and addressing parents' personal emotional needs.

De novo Mutations in Domestic Cat are Consistent with an Effect of Reproductive Longevity on Both the Rate and Spectrum of Mutations.

The mutation rate is a fundamental evolutionary parameter with direct and appreciable effects on the health and function of individuals. Here, we examine this important parameter in the domestic cat, a beloved companion animal as well as a valuable biomedical model. We estimate a mutation rate of 0.86 × 10−8 per bp per generation for the domestic cat (at an average parental age of 3.8 years). We find evidence for a significant paternal age effect, with more mutations transmitted by older sires. Our analyses suggest that the cat and the human have accrued similar numbers of mutations in the germline before reaching sexual maturity. The per-generation mutation rate in the cat is 28% lower than what has been observed in humans, but is consistent with the shorter generation time in the cat. Using a model of reproductive longevity, which takes into account differences in the reproductive age and time to sexual maturity, we are able to explain much of the difference in per-generation rates between species. We further apply our reproductive longevity model in a novel analysis of mutation spectra and find that the spectrum for the cat resembles the human mutation spectrum at a younger age of reproduction. Together, these results implicate changes in life-history as a driver of mutation rate evolution between species. As the first direct observation of the paternal age effect outside of rodents and primates, our results also suggest a phenomenon that may be universal among mammals.

GAMBARAN KESEJAHTERAAN PSIKOLOGIS ORANG TUA DARI ANAK DENGAN KANKER YANG MENDAPAT KEMOTERAPI

Cancer becomes leading cause of death in children and adolescents. The most effective treatment for cancer in children is chemotherapy. Parents have an important role in child care so the good psychological well-being is needed in order to achieve success in treatment. This study aimed to describe the parents psychological well-being of children with cancer who got chemotherapy. This type of research was descriptive quantitative with a cross sectional method design. The sample was selected using a purposive sampling technique from parents in Yayasan Peduli Kanker Anak Bali, totaling 30 people. Based on the results of the study, it was found that the average age of parents was 35.40 years, the percentage of gender between men and women was equal to 50%, namely 15 people, the majority were at the high school education level, and the average psychological well-being of parents was in the low category.

Parental first concern according to age and type in children with ASD

AbstractBackground: Developmental problems concerned by parents are a further diagnostic step for children with ASD. Research is needed to find a picture of the child's behavior complained of by parents. Investigations about first concerns among parents of children with ASD and comparisons of the same with children diagnosed with other developmental disorders are rare.Objective: to examine the type and age of parents ‘concern in children with ASD and other developmental disorders.Method:A cross-sectional study was conducted in Child Developmental Centre in Surabaya Indonesia from August 1 to December 30, 2019. T-test and chi-square tests were used to analyze differences in subject variables and types of concern.Result: Most parents of both children diagnosed with ASD and non-ASD indicated first concern were in communication, social skill, and behavior problem. The average age of parents’ first concern of ASD children is 30,14 months. Significant differences were found between ASD and non-ASD groups in communications, behavior, and sensory problem concerns. Conclusion: There is no specific difference between parental concerns of children with ASD and non-ASD children. The average age of first concern was significantly younger for children with an ASD diagnosis than other developmental disorders.Keywords :parent concern, autism, communication.Correspondence :dian_dwisary@yahoo,com

Survey for caregivers of people in the autism spectrum in Chile: first concerns, age of diagnosis and clinical characteristics.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders of increasing prevalence. People with ASD have multiple health, education, and community needs, yet there is little information about their situation in Chile. To learn about the demographic and clinical characteristics, caregiver's first concerns, and age of diagnosis of ASD individuals. Participants were parents/caregivers of ASD persons, who answered the Caregiver Needs Survey, developed by Autism Speaks specifically for this purpose, and translated into Spanish. The survey is comprised of 4 sections: demographic information, characteristics of the ASD individual, past and present use of Health and Education Services, and parents/caregivers' perceptions of satisfaction, impact, stigma, and quality of life. Data from the first two sections are reported in this paper. The survey was answered by 291 caregivers (86% mothers) of 291 mostly male ASDs (89%), aged between 1-40 years (X: 10.4 SD: 6.1). The average age of parents' first concerns was 29.2m (SD: 23.8) where the main ones were: interaction difficulties (79.4%), unusual response to sensory stimuli (69.8%), behavioral problems (65.3%), unusual gestures/movements (64.3%), and lack of eye contact (63.6%). The ave rage age of diagnosis was 58m (SD: 36.5), with an average delay of diagnosis of 29m. The diagnosis was most frequently made by pediatric neurologists (44.7%), child psychiatrists (19.2%), and pedia tricians (5.5%). The most frequent comorbidities were language impairment, cognitive deficit, and behavioral problems. The late age of diagnosis of ASD and the large gap between the age of first concerns and diagnosis, represent a critical loss of treatment opportunities and jeopardize the chances of a better long-term outcome.