title: How early do parent concerns predict later autism diagnosis?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the relationship between parent concerns about development in the first year and a half of life and later autism diagnostic outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parent concerns about development were collected for infants at high and low risk for autism, using a prospective, longitudinal design. Parents were asked about developmental concerns at study intake and when their infant was 6, 12, and 18 months. Infants were then followed up until 36 months, when diagnostic status was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By the time their child was 12 months, parents who have an older child with autism reported significantly more concerns in autism spectrum disorders-related areas than parents of children with typical outcomes. These concerns were significantly related to independent measures of developmental status and autism symptoms and helped predict which infants would later be diagnosed with autism or autism spectrum disorders. At 6 months, however, the concerns of parents who have an older child with autism do not predict outcome well.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Explicitly probing for parent concerns about development is useful for identifying children in need of closer monitoring and surveillance, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
authors.affiliation: M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California Davis Health System, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA. sally.ozonoff@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozonoff
authors.forename: Gregory S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Steinfeld
authors.forename: Monique M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Ted
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hutman
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Macari
authors.forename: Sally J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sigman
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002657:Child Development; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D012307:Risk Factors; D035781:Siblings; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors