Early identification of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) provides the best opportunity for children to receive evidence-based early intervention. Research indicates that accurate diagnosis can be made as early as the toddler period when an assessment is completed by experienced clinicians. Typical ASD evaluations involve an assessment of…

Two studies were conducted to examine the use of the Taiwanese version of the Screening Tool for Autism in Two-Year-Olds for detecting autism spectrum disorder in toddlers aged 18-24 months. Study 1 used receiver operating characteristics to select a cutoff score for the Taiwanese version of the Screening Tool for Autism in Two-Year-Olds. It…

Social engagement, pretend play, and concern for another's distress represent fundamental features of typical social-emotional development in the second year. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) display delays and deficits in these areas, and research on toddlers at heightened risk for ASD (HR; younger siblings of children with ASD)…

The present longitudinal study examined the utility of the screening tool for autism in 2-year-olds (STAT) in detecting autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in toddlers who are less than 24 months of age. The study sample, which consisted of 119 toddlers with developmental problems, were assessed when they were between 16 and 24 months of age (Time 1)…

There is a critical need for validated screening tools for autism spectrum disorder in very young children so families can access tailored intervention services as early as possible. Few screeners exist for children between the recommended screening ages of 18-24 months. This study examined the utility of a new autism-specific parent-report…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnostic tools are not designed for mental ages (MA) below 12 months. Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) were examined in 2-year-olds with ASD-low MA (n = 53), Global Developmental Delay (GDD; n = 175), and ASD-higher MA (n = 425). ADOS and CARS demonstrated…

Delayed language development may be an early indicator of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Early intervention is critical for children with ASD, and the present study presents pilot data on a clinical trial of omega-3 and -6 fatty acid supplementation and language development, a secondary trial outcome, in children at risk for ASD. We randomized 31…

In the United States, there is a widespread concern with not referring more infants and toddlers with a risk of or identified autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to Early Intervention (EI) under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004). Despite early signs and screening initiatives, most children with ASD are not referred…

The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers Revised-Albanian screener (M-CHAT-R-A) was used to screen 2,594 toddlers, aged 16-30 months, at well-child visits. Two hundred fifty-three (9.75%) screened positive; follow up on failed items were conducted by phone with 127 (50%); the remainder were lost to follow-up. Twenty-six toddlers (21%)…

Research suggests that toddlers with no language delay (NLD) should have better outcomes than those with language delay (LD). However, the predictive utility of language milestones relative to co-varying factors such as age at diagnosis, IQ, and ASD symptomatology is unclear. This study compared school-aged children with ASD and NLD (n = 59) to a…

Borrowing from a clinical psychology observational methodology, thin-slice observations were used to assess autism characteristics in toddlers. Thin-slices are short observations taken from a longer behavior stream which are assigned ratings by multiple raters using a 5-point scale. The raters' observations are averaged together to assign a…

Interventions to enhance cognitive and executive function performance are essential for the child's performance in current and future occupations. Occupational therapy practitioners are critical members of early intervention, education, and healthcare teams. Practitioners are distinctly qualified to address cognitive functioning within the context…

The Autism Detection in Early Childhood (ADEC) is a brief, play-based screening tool for the assessment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children aged 12-36 months. We examined the psychometric properties of the ADEC in a clinical sample of toddlers (n = 114) referred to a US pediatric hospital for assessment due to concerns of developmental…

The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of the Systematic Observation of Red Flags as an observational level-two screening measure to detect risk for autism spectrum disorder in toddlers when used with a video-recorded administration of the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales. Psychometric properties of the Systematic…

Symptoms of autism spectrum disorders may appear as early as 6 months, but parent concern, which can precipitate evaluation, often lags significantly. The presence of typical or atypical older siblings can change parents' sensitivity to departures from typical development. This study investigated type and age of parent's first concerns in toddlers…