Trends and cross-country inequalities in the global burden of neurodevelopmental disorders among children aged 0–14 from 1990 to 2021

As a major public health concern, the global burden of NDDs in children exhibited distinct trends from 1990 to 2021: an increasing trend for ASD, and decreasing trends for ADHD and IDID. Health inequalities persist across these conditions. The burdens of ASD and ADHD are primarily concentrated in high-SDI countries/territories, whereas the burden of IDID is more prevalent in low-SDI countries/territories. Therefore, targeted public health strategies and equitable allocation of healthcare resources are essential to effectively mitigate the burden of NDDs.