Abstract
Objective: The Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (CHAT) has been demonstrated to be sensitive to the presence of autism in otherwise normally developing 18-month-old children. However, its ability to differentiate autism from other significant developmental delays is unknown. This study examined this question. Method: The CHAT was applied to a group of 44 children aged 2 and 3 years, rigorously diagnosed with autism or with other developmental problems. Results: By the original CHAT authors' criteria, the sensitivity and specificity of the CHAT were 65% and 100%, respectively. Slightly altering the criteria resulted in a sensitivity of 85% in the current group of children with developmental disabilities while maintaining specificity of 100%. Conclusions: The current study is the first to demonstrate that the CHAT successfully discriminates 2-year-old children with autism from those with other developmental disorders. In addition, the increased sensitivity of the Denver Criteria in children with developmental disabilities may improve its usefulness as a screening tool for community-based early-diagnostic teams and general practitioners.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1457-1463 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry |
| Volume | 40 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| State | Published - 2001 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Autism
- Other developmental delays
- Preschool screening
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Developmental and Educational Psychology