BIO

My name is Megan, I am from Tampa, FL, and I am a second-year student studying Interdisciplinary medical sciences on a clinical professions route. I look forward to applying to medical school and hopefully pursuing the profession of a pediatrician in the future. I have interests in research done on child development, genetics, and psychology.

Examining Parent Concern after Autism Screening in Children under 24 Months

Abstract

Introduction: As the prevalence of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) continues to rise, primary care providers play a key role in early identification and intervention. Yet, the USPSTF does not recommend screening without parent-reported concerns. It is important to examine the types of parent concerns reported, as well as the differences between the number and types of concerns across children with different diagnostic outcomes, to determine the potential effectiveness of this approach. Methods: This study examined a sample of 549 children who were screened for autism or communication delay between 12 and 26 months of age. Parents completed the Early Screening for Autism and Communication disorders (ESAC) and reported any concerns about their child’s development, which were coded for 16 types of concerns. Results: Most parents of children that were concerned about the expressive communication and development of their child. Most of the parents of children who were diagnosed with autism did not report a specific concern of Autism or concerns about the diagnostic features and the time of screening. This study has important implications regarding the early identification of autism.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder, screening, developmental delay