Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, U.S. – is a free screening tool used that can be used to detect the signs of early autism in young children
The screening tool is intended for use in child clinics for children aged 16 to 30 months old. It will help health care providers to better identify a child’s risk of having autism and to classify them as low, medium or high. This will be based on parents’ answers to 20 questions.
Dr. Alice Kau of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development told U-T San Diego Health Buzz:
“This checklist can more accurately identify children likely to have autism so they can get the treatment and support they need”
She then adds:
“Given that the typical diagnosis occurs at age 4, it also offers the possibility of detecting autism much earlier. And earlier intervention has been shown to improve outcomes.”
16,000 children have been evaluated with the tool.
The Checklist can be found on the National Institutes of Health website
The original article on the U-T San Diego website can be found here