In this lesson, we will be discussing

the importance of early evaluation and identification of

autism
spectrum disorders. As indicated in the previous lesson,
less than half of children identified with autism
spectrum
disorder are being evaluated for developmental concerns
by
the time they reached age three. Presently the average
age of diagnosis for an autism spectrum disorder
is four years of age. This is particularly concerning
because
research indicates that the earlier we identify
characteristics of autism and
the earlier that interventions and treatment can begin,
the better the outcome. In this video, Dr. Robin Hansen
discusses
the importance of early identification for autism
spectrum disorders. >> So early identification, I think
is
really important for a lot of reasons. One of them is
that the research is
indicating that the earlier that we start intervention,
the better the prognosis. Maybe that's the primary. Part
of the reason for that I think is
that we're beginning to really understand that when kids
are missing out on
social learning opportunities because of a variety of
reasons,
it just kind of snowballs on itself. And the earlier
that we try and
intervene and change learning,
we change developmental trajectories. We think that's
because there's some
much more developmental plasticity in young brains. And
neural connections are being made so
rapidly that the earlier that we can sort of change that
learning and
where those neurons are going and how they're connecting
the better
we're gonna be overall. So I think that's really
the most important piece of it. I think the other piece
of it is that if
diagnosis gets delayed, there's lots of other second
difficulties that occur
in terms of family interactions, in terms of
expectations, in terms of
just behaviors that develop because of frustration,
confusion, how we sort of set up
dynamics in families and for kids with other kids and
interacting with family members. So I think there are
lots,
lots of reasons. One of them, again, the most important
one, is just getting the right kinds of interventions,
the right kinds of
services so kids are learning. If early diagnosis is
important, then how do we really promote early
diagnosis and early identification? One way clearly is
to try and
make sure that children are getting systematic screening
and that it's not
just for kids who show a lot of symptoms. But that we
start getting pediatricians,
getting family practice, anybody who has regular contact
with
children to just systematically be screening, not only
for autism, but for
all kinds of early developmental delays. So that we're
not just screening
kids that are really obvious or kids that parents have
been [LAUGH] I'm
still concerned, I'm still concerned. Part of that is
just having it be
part routine well, child care. Part of it is also, I
think
the other flip side of it is that as health care
professionals, we really need
to be listening to parents' concerns and responding to
them and
not saying let's just wait and see, but really
responding and
taking parents' concerns very, very sincerely and
carefully that
we need to respond to those early. So there are gonna be
some kids who have an atypical screen for
autism who end up not having a diagnosis. And it may be
that they have
some language difficulties, it may be that they have
some other
developmental problems but not autism. And even though
that might
be a false positive for autism, if we're identifying
kids who
have other developmental problems, I don't consider that
to be a false positive. I think it's really important
that we
identify all kinds of developmental delays, because the
earlier that we
identify them, the earlier that we try and get some
intervention, the better
everybody's outcome is gonna be. So even if it might be
a false positive
screen for autism, but we identify say speech and
language delay, I think
that's still really important to do.