Early Screening of Autism among 18 to 24 months Old Toddlers Using the Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT)

Mohammad Reza Mohammadi; Ghazal Zahed; Hadi Zarafshan

Early Screening of Autism among 18 to 24 months Old Toddlers Using the Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT)

Iran J Child Neurol. 2020 Fall;14(4):55-62.

Authors

Mohammad Reza Mohammadi¹, Ghazal Zahed², Hadi Zarafshan¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Psychiatry and Psychology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital,Tehran, Iran.
² Child and Adolescent psychiatrist Assistant Professer of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Mofid Childrens Hospital, Tehran, Iran.

PMID: 33193784
PMCID: PMC7660027

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the present study was to screen the toddlers who are suspected to be autistic in their well-child visits at age 18 to 24 months via the Quantitative-Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT).

Materials & methods: After the screening, the screen-positive cases were clinically assessed by a child psychiatrist and a child developmental psychologist. The total sample included 2467 toddlers; the mean total score of Q-CHAT was 30.64 (SD: 9.133).

Result: According to the clinical examinations, 6 cases met the criteria for autism (equal to 5.8% of screen-positive cases and 0.25% of the total sample), and 18 cases had a high probability of autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders.

Conclusion: This study showed that the toddlers who were at risk of autism could be screened in PHC. Also, Q-CHAT could be used as a screening tool in Iran.

Keywords: Autism; Early Screening; Q-CHAT; Toddler.