Use of the M-CHAT follow-up interview (M-CHAT/F) by paediatricians during well-child care visits is feasible, valid and reliable.

Abstract

Citation: Sturner R, Howard B, Bergmann P, et al . Autism screening with online decision support by primary care pediatricians aided by M-CHAT/F. Pediatrics . 2016 Sep;138: e20153036. Early identification of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) leads to early intervention and improved outcomes.1 The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends universal screening with a validated tool such as the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) at well-child care visits.2 The M-CHAT/R (original M-CHAT and its revised version) includes a follow-up interview (the M-CHAT/R-F) designed to clarify positive responses. Use of the M-CHAT/R-F significantly improves the positive predictive value (PPV) of the tool,3 but questions remain regarding the feasibility of using the interview in routine clinical care. The study investigated the feasibility of using the follow-up interview in routine practice …