Abstract
We retrospectively examined the vicissitude of the situation of patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in our hospital’s pediatric outpatient psychological and developmental department from 1994 to 2021 based on their medical records. The percentage with Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) or ASD among first-visit patients was 73.4 % in 2012 and decreased to 54.6 % in 2021. Although the most common chief complaint among patients with ASD at the first visit was “developmental or speech and language delay” in 1994, cases with this complaint decreased over time in 2012 and 2021. These secular vicissitudes were considered to be due to the changes in the social recognition and support system for developmental disorders. The needs of patients seeking outpatient services for developmental disorders have changed over time. Considering the increase in the number of patients and facilities offering outpatient services, it is necessary to reexamine the role of university hospitals in the future.
https://ror.org/02adg5v98 
