title: Clinical assessment and management of toddlers with suspected autism spectrum disorder: insights from studies of high-risk infants.
abstract: With increased public awareness of the early signs and recent American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations that all 18- and 24-month-olds be screened for autism spectrum disorders, there is an increasing need for diagnostic assessment of very young children. However, unique challenges exist in applying current diagnostic guidelines for autism spectrum disorders to children under the age of 2 years. In this article, we address challenges related to early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of autism spectrum disorders in this age group. We provide a comprehensive review of findings from recent studies on the early development of children with autism spectrum disorders, summarizing current knowledge on early signs of autism spectrum disorders, the screening properties of early detection tools, and current best practice for diagnostic assessment of autism spectrum disorders before 2 years of age. We also outline principles of effective intervention for children under the age of 2 with suspected/confirmed autism spectrum disorders. It is hoped that ongoing studies will provide an even stronger foundation for evidence-based diagnostic and intervention approaches for this critically important age group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. lonnie.zwaigenbaum@capitalhealth.ca
authors.forename: Lonnie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zwaigenbaum
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bryson
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lord
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carver
authors.forename: Kasia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chawarska
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Constantino
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dobkins
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fein
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Iverson
authors.forename: Ami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klin
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Landa
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Messinger
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozonoff
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sigman
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tager-Flusberg
authors.forename: Nurit
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yirmiya
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D002657:Child Development; D003142:Communication; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior; D007802:Language; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires