Available Screening Tools

The following tools have been purchased and will be distributed in conjunction with the initiative:

Ages and Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition (ASQ-3)
Researched on a sample of more than 12,000 children, ASQ-3 is the most accurate, cost effective, and parent-friendly way to identify children from birth to 5 years with developmental delays. The ASQ-3 is reliable and valid, with high levels of sensitivity and specificity. Retrospective research shows that ASQ accurately identified children for further assessment who were later found to have autism. Parents can complete the ASQ-3 questionnaires at home, in a waiting room, during a home visit, or as part of an in person or phone interview. Later in 2009 the ASQ-3 will be available online. It takes 2 – 3 minutes to score the ASQ-3 questionnaires after parents complete them. The parents can complete a questionnaire in 10 –20 minutes. The forms are reproducible. The ASQ-3 includes 21 questionnaires and scoring sheets on paper and CD-ROM.

Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE)
The ASQ:SE provides a deep, exclusive focus on children’s social and emotional behavior. The social-emotional areas screened include: self-regulation, compliance, communication, adaptive functioning, autonomy, affect and interaction with people. Each questionnaire takes 10 – 15 minutes for parents to complete, and 1 – 3 minutes to score. Questionnaires are provided for 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 48 and 60 months.

Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS)
PEDS is an evidence-based surveillance tool and a screening test. It is also a tool for managing a wide range of developmental, behavioral and family issues. With ten short questions to parents, PEDS helps professionals identify children at risk for school problems and those with undetected developmental and behavioral disabilities. The PEDS instrument is appropriate for children birth to age 8, and includes an algorithm.

M-CHAT
The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT; Robins, Fein, & Barton, 1999) is available for free download for clinical, research, and educational purposes. There are two authorized websites: the MCHAT and supplemental materials can be downloaded here or from Dr. Robins’ website.

The M-CHAT is validated for screening toddlers between 16 and 30 months of age, to assess risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The M-CHAT can be administered and scored as part of a well-child check-up, and also can be used by specialists or other professionals to assess risk for ASD. The primary goal of the M-CHAT was to maximize sensitivity, meaning to detect as many cases of ASD as possible. Therefore, there is a high false positive rate, meaning that not all children who score at risk for ASD will be diagnosed with ASD. To address this, the authors have developed a structured follow-up interview for use in conjunction with the M-CHAT; it is available at the two websites listed above. Users should be aware that even with the follow-up questions, a significant number of the children who fail the M-CHAT will not be diagnosed with an ASD; however, these children are at risk for other developmental disorders or delays, and therefore, evaluation is warranted for any child who fails the screening.