Improving early autism screening in toddlers
Sensitivity of toddler screening: Integrating concurrent and prospective strategies to detect ASD
Researchers will re-screen children who had autism checks as toddlers to find any cases that were missed so they can get help sooner.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Drexel University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11318946 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project will contact families from three earlier toddler screening efforts and recheck children who either screened negative, screened positive but were lost to follow-up, or were evaluated and not diagnosed. The team will use standardized follow-up screening and clinical confirmation to look for children who may have been missed during routine well-child visits. By comparing initial screening results with these prospective detections, researchers aim to measure how often autism was overlooked and why. The work focuses on practical follow-up methods that could be used in community pediatric settings.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Toddlers and young children who took part in prior pediatric autism screening programs — especially those who screened negative, were lost to follow-up, or were evaluated but not diagnosed — are the ideal participants.
Not a fit: Children who never had toddler autism screening, adults, or families who cannot be reached for follow-up are unlikely to be helped directly by this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could lead to more timely autism diagnoses and earlier access to therapy for children who were previously missed.
How similar studies have performed: Previous universal screening programs have helped lower the age of autism diagnosis and reduce disparities, but few studies have done the kind of prospective re-screening of initially negative toddlers that this project will use.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- Drexel University — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Robins, Diana L — Drexel University
- Study coordinator: Robins, Diana L
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 below.