What is autism?

"Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability  that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. There is often nothing about how people with ASD look that sets them apart from other people, but people with ASD may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others need less.

A diagnosis of ASD now includes several conditions that used to be diagnosed separately: autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and Asperger syndrome. These conditions are now all called autism spectrum disorder."

For facts, screening tools, treatment, data and statistics, and more, visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism /facts.html .

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Screening Tools

"The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) is a validated developmental screening tool for toddlers between 16 and 30 months of age. It is designed to identify children who may benefit from a more thorough developmental and autism evaluation. The M-CHAT can be administered and scored as part of a well-child check-up, and also can be used by specialists or other professionals to screen for developmental delay and autism. We now offer M-CHAT online so that it is easier to use and score. This version features the latest scoring system, M-CHAT-R/F, developed by Dr. Diana Robins, Ph.D. et al., making the results more sensitive in detecting developmental concerns."

Visit https://www.m-chat.org/ to learn more and utilize the M-CHAT autism screening tool.