A developmental screening test is an important part of a well child check-up. If your child's pediatrician does not routinely check your child with such a test, ask that it be done.
Several screening instruments have been developed in the first stage of diagnosis to quickly gather information about a child's social and communicative development within medical settings. They include:
- Checklist of Autism in Toddlers (CHAT)
- the modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT)
- the Screening Tool for Autism in Two-Year-Olds (STAT)
- the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) (for children 4 years of age and older)
During the last few years, screening instruments have been devised to screen for Asperger syndrome and higher functioning autism. These include:
- The Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ)
- the Australian Scale for Asperger's Syndrome
- the Childhood Asperger Syndrome Test (CAST) - this is the most recent
The second stage of diagnosis must be comprehensive in order to accurately rule in or rule out an ASD or other developmental problem. This evaluation may be done by a multidisciplinary team that includes a psychologist, a neurologist, a psychiatrist, a speech therapist, or other professionals who diagnose children with ASD.
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