Assessment of Autism Across the Lifespan: A Way Forward

Abstract The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is currently estimated at 1 in 68 individuals in the US (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 63:1–21, 2014)), and recommendations for screening and best practices for diagnostic evaluations have been formulated in scientific, clinical, and institutional venues, if not successfully implemented. As such, this article reviews the best practices in the field for toddler, school-age and adolescent/adult assessments, describes at-risk symptomatology in toddlers, reviews common co-morbidities to be aware of at each time point, discusses cultural issues with regard to diagnoses, and brings forth new research, particularly with regard to earlier screening and diagnosis.
Source: Current Developmental Disorders Reports - Category: Child Development Source Type: research