An early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can improve outcomes for children and assist families in accessing services. Part C providers are often tasked with screening for ASD. The purpose of this study was to survey Part C providers nationwide to understand their ASD screening practices and training needs and extend a survey conducted…

Identification of problems with socioemotional functioning is an important task in early childhood, particularly for children in early intervention (EI). However, socioemotional concerns raised by families may be under-identified in practice. In accordance with Division for Early Childhood (DEC) recommended practices, Part C providers could…

The increased prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its detection during the first 3 years of life have substantial relevance for early intervention. The purpose of this article is to summarize current scientific and policy information on early identification and early intervention for infants and toddlers with ASD and their families.…

Over 2,500 preschool children were screened for emotional and behavioral problems using the three-state, multiple-gating procedures of the Early Screening Project (ESP). Significant differences were found between children who did and did not exceed the ESP's normative referral criteria. Results suggest the ESP procedures can minimize both the time…

Identification of children with developmental disabilities is the first critical step in providing early intervention services. Currently, only 20% of Taiwanese children who could potentially benefit from early intervention have been identified. One possible reason for this low identification rate is the lack of a culturally appropriate,…

The accuracy of 3 developmental screening tests administered to 89 young children was compared. The Battelle Developmental Inventory Screening Test was more accurate than the Academic Scale of the Developmental Profile-II and the Denver-II, identifying correctly 72% of children with difficulties and 76% of children without diagnoses. (Author/JDD)

This study found that the Davis Observation Checklist for Texas, an observational teacher checklist for screening preschool children for communication disorders, demonstrated adequate sensitivity and specificity. The concurrent validity of the checklist was assessed with 59 multicultural children (ages 4 through 5), including Mexican Americans,…