A retrospective study of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) screening in primary care practices concluded that the practice is fraught with problems. The bottom line is that screening is not happening when and how it should. And even when it does occur, the tools used to screen have their own problems.
This is particularly distressing, given the overwhelming evidence that the earlier children with ASD are diagnosed and enrolled in services, the better the outcome.
Medscape spoke with Kate E. Wallis, MD, MPH, author of an accompanying editorial, co-investigator of a similar study published last year, and a developmental behavioral pediatrician at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, about the key take-home messages from this research.
You note that the most recent studies of ASD screening using the most widely accepted tool, the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised (M-CHAT-R), were conducted in "real world" settings, and therefore these disappointing results are more reflective of how screening really works. Can you briefly describe what you mean?
Wallis:When beginning research and developing a screening tool, it's important to test under ideal research circumstances to know whether it works. That typically means that the research is done with funding, which brings with it staff support and other services.
