Autism Resources for Pediatricians

Pediatricians play a critical role in identifying, diagnosing, and managing autism. Clinical guidance issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following for pediatricians in primary care:

• General developmental screening using a validated tool at 9, 18, and 30 months of age.
• Screening of all children for autism at 18 and 24-month health supervision visits, in addition to general developmental screening.
• diagnostic evaluation
• Intervention for all developmental delays at the time of identification with a referral to a clinician experienced in diagnosis, which may be a primary care provider with requisite training, a developmental-behavioral pediatrician, among others. Pediatricians should not wait for an autism evaluation or diagnosis for children to get the care they need.

Pediatricians may use different tools to screen for autism:

• Ages and Stages Questionnaires SE-2 (ASQ-SE2)
• Pervasive Developmental Disorders Screening Test-II (PDDST-II)
• Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales (CSBS)
• Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers – Revised with follow-up (M-CHAT-R/F)

The AAP does not approve/endorse any specific tool for screening purposes. The above list is not exhaustive, and other tests may be available.

Autistic children will benefit from continuing to receive care in a medical home. Pediatricians should continue routine primary care visits and anticipatory guidance. These visits are opportunities to support management of autism co-occurring conditions such as sleep, feeding problems, gastrointestinal symptoms, obesity, seizures, anxiety, and others. Pediatricians also have an important role in supporting families in developmental skill building, interpreting evidence, and engaging in shared decision making. 

This resource was made possible through the generous support of AAP donors to the Friends of Children Fund.