Brief Report: Macrocephaly Phenotype and Psychiatric Comorbidity in a Clinical Sample of Mexican Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Doctors in Mexico City measured the heads of 94 kids with autism. They also checked each chart for other diagnoses like ADHD or epilepsy.

All children were already patients at a neuro-pediatrics clinic. Ages ranged from 2 to 16 years.

One in five kids had macrocephaly, that is, a head size bigger than 97 percent of peers. More than half, 54 percent, also had ADHD.

Epilepsy showed up in 9 percent and anxiety in 11 percent. The team did not find links between head size and IQ.

Cederlund et al. (2014) saw only 3 percent macrocephaly in preschoolers picked from the general population. The gap is explained by setting: the Mexican kids were clinic referrals, while the Swedish group was community based.

Pan et al. (2021) pooled 29 studies and confirmed macrocephaly is more common in autism. Their meta-analysis includes the Mexican data, so the 20 percent rate is part of the bigger picture.

Jennett et al. (2003) first linked big heads in autism to a high non-verbal IQ profile. Lilia's team did not repeat that IQ split, so the link needs more checks outside the U.S.

If you assess Latino kids in clinic, plan for a higher chance of macrocephaly and ADHD. Measure head circumference at intake and screen for attention problems even when language is the main concern. These quick steps can shorten the path to the right supports.