title: Screening children for autism in an urban clinic using an electronic M-CHAT.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) is a screening tool for autism spectrum disorders in the clinic. However, the follow-up questions in the M-CHAT are difficult to implement on a paper format.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness of the M-CHAT on an electronic format versus paper format in an outpatient clinic setting. Methods. A prospective study used electronic M-CHAT on the iPad. A retrospective review of paper M-CHATs 6 months prior to implementation was used as the comparison group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 176 participants completed the electronic M-CHAT format and 197 paper M-CHATs were retrospectively reviewed. The electronic format (3%) resulted in a significant difference in the frequency of children found to be at risk for autism compared with the paper version (11%); 99% of parents rated the experience as "good" or "excellent."
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The electronic format lowered both false at-risk screens and false not-at-risk screens and had higher parental satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA. John.Harrington@chkd.org
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Harrington
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Amy M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Perkins
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D057189:Checklist / Q000639:trends*; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D004282:Documentation / Q000639:trends; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D010372:Pediatrics; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D014505:Urban Population