Although there appears to be a significant increase in the rates of screening for autism spectrum disorders (ASD), the average age of diagnosis is not decreasing. Even when formal ASD screening tools are used, physicians might not place referrals for developmental supports and ASD evaluations. The primary objective of this study was to explore, using a mixed-methods approach, the educational needs of primary care providers (PCPs) in the primary care network at a large children's hospital so that future educational and quality improvement efforts might more accurately meet their needs. The qualitative methodology of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis was utilized to complete semi-structured interviews with 7 primary care pediatricians with a goal of exploring how primary care providers understand their role in the process of identifying children with ASD and how they integrate knowledge from clinical exams, parental history, developmental screening tools, behavioral observations, and their accumulated experience in making identification decisions and subsequent referrals for further treatment and evaluation. In addition, a survey was distributed using REDCap and completed by 42 PCPs which included demographic questions as well as portions of the Autism Spectrum Knowledge Scale Professional Version, Revised (ASKSP-R), and the Primary Care Autism Self-Efficacy (PCASE) Survey. On the PCASE, PCPs had an average score of 4.38, indicating overall confidence in their ASD screening practices. The average score was 58% on the ASKSP-R. The items with the lowest scores inquired about ASD epidemiology as well as restricted and repetitive patterns of interests and behaviors. Five salient themes were created based upon the semi-structured interviews completed with seven primary care pediatricians in the primary care network at Nationwide Children's Hospital which serve to highlight the factors which might influence a provider's decision-making during the process of screening for ASD and subsequent care. Providers were noted to be influenced by their own backgrounds and experiences in training and practice, often desiring to utilize their clinical skills gleaned from years of medical training when making decisions during the screening process. Providers also expressed frustration at the office and system-level factors which impact their decision-making, from long wait times to diagnostic evaluation and insufficient time during office visits to concerns about overwhelming families with placing too many referrals. They also reviewed how a lack of continuity impacts their ability to engage in discussions about their concerns for ASD. Providers also value the perspectives of the families themselves during the screening process and cite this as a common reason for not placing what would be recommended referrals. On the whole, providers demonstrated a strong desire to improve both their individual care as well as the care of children with ASD at the system-level and are interested in future educational programming which allows them to more effectively identify children at risk for ASD and connect them to appropriate resources in a timelier fashion.

All-new clinical resource for managing children with developmental and behavioral concerns. Developed by leading experts in developmental and behavioral pediatrics, the all-new AAP Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics gives one place to turn for expert recommendations to deliver, coordinate, and/or monitor quality developmental/behavioral care within the medical home. The one resource with all the essentials for pediatric primary care providers. Evaluation and care initiation: Interviewing and counseling, Surveillance and screening, Psychoeducational testing, Neurodevelopment.

This authoritative resource, now thoroughly revised for DSM-5, has set the standard for the comprehensive assessment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Leading experts demonstrate how to craft a scientifically grounded profile of each child’s strengths and difficulties, make a formal diagnosis, and use assessment data to guide individualized intervention in clinical and school settings. Chapters review state-of-the-art instruments and approaches for evaluating specific areas of impairment in ASD and co-occurring emotional and behavioral disorders. Considerations in working with children of different ages are highlighted. With a primary focus on children, several chapters also address assessment of adolescents and adults. New to This Edition *Chapter on key implications of DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, plus related updates throughout the volume. *Chapter on advances in early identification (ages 0–3). *Chapter with in-depth case examples illustrating the evaluation decision-making process and common diagnostic challenges. *Chapters on pseudoscience (including strategies for advising parents) and future directions in the field. *Current assessment data, numerous new and revised measures, and cutting-edge screening approaches.

A review of the current science of identifying and treating autism spectrum disorders in young children examines research issues, approaches to assessment, and developmental, behavioral, and medical intervention models.

"The Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (BITSEA) is an efficient and easy to use tool for identifying children ages 12 months to 35 months 30 days who may have social-emotional and behavioral problems and/or delays, or deficits in social-emotional competence."--P. 1.

First published in 1999. This book is written in four parts. Part I 'Foundations', starts with Chapter 1 'What is a multisensory environment?' and provides a general introduction to the field. The MSE can be different things to different people. It can describe an actual space, or the impact that space has on an individual. Furthermore, it can be for adults or children, for recreation, leisure, therapy or education. Part II 'Design and construction' explores the what, who, why and how of the open-minded, Part III 'Curriculum development' begins with Chapter 8 'Curriculum development in the MSE. The final section, Part IV 'Future developments', consists of two chapters. The goal of Chapter 11 'Conducting research in the MSE' is to demystify research and thereby encourage all members of the transdisciplinary team to become actively involved in MSE related research; Chapter 12 'Where are we going?', the MSE is re-examined to identify possible ways this development could contribute to the increased pluralities that will constitute education in the twenty-first century.