A systematic review of remote telehealth assessments for early signs of autism spectrum disorder: Video and mobile applications.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) impacts an individual's developmental trajectory across several domains, supporting the importance of early detection and identification, which is ultimately the first step toward treatment planning Children should be exposed to an ASD screening at 18 and 24 months of age, but such services are not always available across demographic groups or accessible to underserved communities Screenings can be especially limited in circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic or other situations dictating that people stay at home Thus, it is important to expand the accessibility of assessment services that can provide accurate identification of ASD in young children through the use of technology such as video or mobile application platforms This systematic review aimed to summarize the state of the literature as it relates to accessible telehealth assessments and screening tools for infants and toddlers suspected to have ASD in remote populations Seven studies that utilized video or mobile applications to assess young children in underserved communities were found, including individuals within their first 3 years of life Although some positive results were found regarding effectiveness, there is a need for more sustainable research for this age group, especially for those with limited access to services (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement Clinical Impact Statement-This systematic review aimed to understand the current video- and mobile application-based assessments that have been used to assess infants and toddlers in remote areas who are suspected to have autism spectrum disorder Findings suggest that there are a limited number of studies that utilize telehealth platforms in underserved communities The seven studies found did reveal effectiveness of these telehealth assessment tools, but there is still a strong need for more research in this area (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)