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2967 (1) Autsim
2967 (1) Autsim
The AAP and Bright Futures recommends screening for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to facilitate the
start of early intervention services.
So what can be done about this, and should the M-CHAT-R still be used? The answer, according to a
commentary by Drs. Kate Wallace and Whitney Guthrie (10.1542/peds.2020-1467) from the Children’s
Hospital of Philadelphia, is yes but with a caveat. The authors believe that the M-CHAT, when relied on as
the sole screening tool for diagnosing a child with ASD, is not enough and other strategies and solutions
need to be introduced if we are going to identify as many children as possible with an ASD. Interestingly, the
commentary authors had done their own validation of the M-CHAT with a different population of children and
with similar results. That study was published last year in our journal (REF 5 of commentary). Check out
both this interesting study and commentary and consider at least continuing to monitor for developmental
signs of ASD even if the M-CHAT is negative during the health maintenance visits you have with toddlers
and preschoolers annually.
A Statewide Tiered System for Screening and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Accuracy of Autism Screening in a Large Pediatric Network
Autism Screening With Online Decision Support by Primary Care Pediatricians Aided by M-CHAT/F
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