To reduce the average age of autism diagnosis, screen preschoolers in primary care
To reduce the average age of autism diagnosis, screen preschoolers in primary care
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DOI：
10.1177/1362361320968974
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发表时间：
2021-02-01
期刊：
影响因子：
5.2
通讯作者：
Sheldrick, R. Christopher
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Zuckerman, Katharine E.;Broder-Fingert, Sarabeth;Sheldrick, R. Christopher
美国儿科学会建议在18个月和24个月的正常儿童就诊时进行自闭症谱系障碍筛查。然而，尽管广泛地对幼儿进行筛查，许多儿童直到上学年龄才被诊断出来，而延迟诊断在低收入和少数族裔儿童中更常见。在学龄前健康儿童检查中提供自闭症谱系障碍筛查可能会减少差异，并降低诊断和服务开始的总体年龄。然而，需要跨越学龄前年龄并为初级保健量身定做的筛查工具。儿科初级保健提供者在18个月和24个月的健康儿童就诊时检查自闭症迹象，通常使用标准清单。当检查清单显示可能患有自闭症时，儿童应该被转介到自闭症专家那里进行额外的治疗和评估。然而，许多患有自闭症谱系障碍的儿童在蹒跚学步的时候没有被检测到。低收入和少数族裔儿童特别有可能被诊断为晚期自闭症谱系障碍。在学龄前健康儿童就诊时检查自闭症可能是及早发现自闭症谱系障碍的一种方法，特别是对低收入和少数族裔儿童。
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends autism spectrum disorder screening at the 18- and 24-month well-child visits. However, despite widespread toddler screening, many children are not diagnosed until school age, and delayed diagnosis is more common among low-income and minority children. Offering autism spectrum disorder screening at preschool well-child checks might reduce disparities and lower the overall age of diagnosis and service initiation. However, screening tools that span the preschool ages and are tailored for primary care are needed.Lay abstractPediatric primary care providers check for autism signs, usually using a standard checklist, at 18- and 24-month well-child visits. When the checklist shows possible autism, children should be referred for additional treatment and evaluation with an autism specialist. However, many children with autism spectrum disorder are not detected as toddlers. Low-income and minority children are particularly likely to have a late autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Checking for autism at preschool-aged well-child visits might be one way to identify autism spectrum disorder earlier, especially for low-income and minority children.