A screening is a brief test used to identity if someone is at-risk of a particular disease or disability as early as possible. Early identification of a delay, disease, or disability supports individuals in accessing the care they need before the delay, disease, or disability worsens. Positive screening results indicate that the person is at-risk for a particular disease or disability and should schedule a comprehensive assessment to determine if they meet the diagnostic criteria for the screened disease or disability.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all children receive autism-specific screening at 18 and 24 months of age. The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT; Robins, Fein, & Barton, 2009) is a screening tool that uses parent-report to assess likelihood of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children 16 to 30 months of age. Children identified as at-risk for ASD based on the M-CHAT should schedule a comprehensive assessment to determine if the child meets the diagnostic criteria for ASD or other developmental delays. Comprehensive evaluations may be conducted and diagnoses may be made by medical doctors (MDs; pediatricians, neurologists, psychiatrists) or psychologists (PhD, PsyD).
*Click here to complete the M-CHAT
*The M-CHAT is intended to be administered by a trained health care professional. Caregivers who complete the M-CHAT independently should bring a copy of the results to their child’s next well-child check-up to discuss with their pediatrician.
Developmental Milestones
While every child is different and develops at different rates, there are specific skills, called developmental milestones, that children should perform within specific age ranges. Developmental milestones include fine motor, gross motor, speech and language, social, emotional, and cognitive skills. While your pediatrician should be monitoring how your child is developing, including achievement of age-appropriate milestones, it is important for caregivers to track how their child is progressing. Caregivers that familiarize themselves with the developmental milestones are more likely to identify delays in their child’s development, which could support the child in being diagnosed sooner and securing necessary supports and services sooner. Getting support for your child early is the best option. Early treatment and intervention has resulted in the most favorable outcomes for children identified as having a developmental delay. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website outlines developmental milestones organized by age (birth-5 years) including tips on when to contact a health professional regarding developmental concerns.