This study was undertaken to set a novel developmental screening test for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using the Griffiths Scales of Child Development (Griffith III) (Green et al., 2016; Stroud et al., 2016), in order to intercept the early atypical developmental patterns indicating ASD risk in the first 3 years of age. An observational and…

The COVID-19 pandemic has fast-tracked interest in telehealth methods to guarantee the continuity of care of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Store-and-forward telehealth approaches offer the opportunity to facilitate timely screening of ASD, allowing parents to record videos of their child's behaviors, subsequently shared with…

This study explored the experiences and perspectives of Latinx mothers of children younger than 3 years who had participated in a developmental screening initiative provided by 2 Federally Qualified Health Centers in an urban setting, had positive developmental screenings, and were referred to early intervention (EI) services. A 2-phase…

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) report on screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) highlighted the need for research that examines the harms potentially associated with screening so as to assess the overall net benefit of universal screening. In response, this study engages qualitative, semi-structured interviews to generate a…

The objective of this study was to test a screening model that employs the Rapid Interactive Screening Test for Autism in Toddlers (RITA-T), in an underserved community to improve ASD detection. We collaborated with a large Early Intervention (EI) program and trained 4 providers reliably on the RITA-T. Toddlers received the Modified Checklist for…

Background and Aims: Early intervention (EI) for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) must be resource-efficient while remaining effective; thus, clinicians are challenged to create and implement useful methods. Clinical evidence from community-based interventions that include reliable diagnoses, individual EI programs, along with…

Little research has explored factors effecting the time it takes caregivers to initiate the diagnostic process (e.g., first phone call to a provider) after their infant or toddler received a positive screen for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The current study investigated the time it takes caregivers of an at-risk sample of toddlers who are…

Delays in autism spectrum disorder identification/services could impact developmental outcomes. Although trends are encouraging, children from historically underrepresented minority backgrounds are often identified later and have reduced engagement in care. It is unclear if disparities exist throughout the screen-evaluate-treat chain, or if early…

Because early intervention often leads to the best outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is important that these children are identified as early as possible. Therefore, exploration of tools that could be used to identify at-risk children at an early age is needed. Such a tool could assist health professionals and their…

This brief presents select findings from the "Conversion of Enrollment Slots from Head Start to Early Head Start (HS2EHS) Case Studies," six case studies of grant recipients that converted enrollment slots from Head Start to Early Head Start in 2021. This brief focuses on "implementing new or expanded Early Head Start services…

This article is adapted from "Linking Sensory Integration and Mental Health: Nurturing Self-Regulation in Infants and Young Children--A thoroughly revised and updated version of Sensory Integration and Self-Regulation in Infants and Toddlers" (ZERO TO THREE, 2022). This book was written for a broad multidisciplinary audience of service…

An early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can improve outcomes for children and assist families in accessing services. Part C providers are often tasked with screening for ASD. The purpose of this study was to survey Part C providers nationwide to understand their ASD screening practices and training needs and extend a survey conducted…

Universal screening and progress monitoring are evidence-based practices in early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE). Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDIs) for infants/toddlers are measures that programs can use for universal screening, progress monitoring, intervention decision-making, and accountability.…

The Ready for School, Ready for Life initiative in Guilford County, North Carolina, aims to support interconnected programs and services for young children and their families with the goal of having children enter kindergarten ready for learning. The initiative aims to strengthen connections among existing programs in Guilford County and provide…

The Screening and Linkage to Services for Autism pragmatic trial examined the effect of family navigation on referral and evaluation for autism spectrum disorder in an urban healthcare system serving low-income families. Children aged 16-30 months with initial scores [greater than or equal to]3 on the Modified Checklist for Autism in…