Early autism screening in primary care to help kids get diagnosed sooner
Official title: Strategies to Facilitate Early Detection of Autism in Primary Care
Funded at Drexel University · NIH-11412959 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant tests how to reliably screen for autism during routine pediatric check-ups to help children get diagnosed earlier and access intervention sooner.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Drexel University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | September 6, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $476,657 |
| NIH project number | 5P50HD111142-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11412959 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children aged around 18–24 months or toddlers undergoing routine well-child visits and their families, especially in primary care settings.
✕Less likely to help
Children without autism or without participation in primary care screening efforts may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Autistic children and their families could benefit from earlier autism detection through universal screening at well-child visits. The project plans to use data from pediatric providers and electronic health records to understand what factors lead to high-fidelity screening and earlier diagnoses. Researchers will examine beliefs, practice characteristics, and sociodemographic variables to identify barriers and facilitators to timely ASD identification. The study uses a pseudo-trial design with a large sample of toddlers and many clinics to explore how screening practices relate to age at diagnosis and access to early intervention. Outcomes could guide improvements in primary care screening protocols and training.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could shorten the time to ASD diagnosis and increase access to early intervention services for many children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work supports that systematic screening can lead to earlier identification, though Fidelity and reach remain variable and this project aims to address those gaps.
Where this research is happening
-
Drexel University
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Robins, Diana L — Drexel University
- Study coordinator: Robins, Diana L
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Optimizing autism diagnosis training for primary care
Aiming to help primary care providers diagnose autism more accurately and quickly so more children get support without long waits.
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PEP Talk for Parents: Helping Young Children With Autism Access Early Education and School Services
A program helps pediatricians talk with families of very young children with autism to speed up access to early intervention and school-based services.
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Earlier autism detection during 18- and 24-month pediatric check-ups
This project tests ways to make autism screening at 18- and 24-month pediatric visits find signs earlier so toddlers can get help sooner.
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Improving early detection of autism in young children during check-ups
This study is looking at ways to make autism screenings during kids' check-ups better, especially for children aged 0-11, so that all kids, including those from less represented and lower-income families, can get the help they need as early as possible.
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Using mobile technology to help toddlers with autism improve social interactions
This study is looking at how a virtual coaching program can help toddlers with autism by teaching their families ways to support their development in everyday life, and it aims to find out if starting this support earlier makes a difference for the kids.
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Testing a mobile coaching program for toddlers with autism
This study is looking at how well a virtual coaching program can help toddlers with autism connect and communicate better, and it’s for families with young children who are showing early signs of autism.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.