A government task force said on Monday that more evidence is needed to support universal screening for autism in toddlers who do not exhibit developmental problems, a departure to recommendations by other health groups.
The guidelines, which were proposed by the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF), an independent and government-backed panel that provides recommendations on whether or not to adopt screening tests for a range of conditions, are with regards to screening for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children between 18 and 30 months old who do not exhibit symptoms of the disorder.
Doctors are urged to routinely check if young children meet appropriate developmental milestones or show signs of disorder such as autism. Parents are also encouraged to point out any concerns such as if a child does not make eye contact so the youngster can be provided with appropriate diagnostic testing.
Some organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) promote for ASD screening in young children regardless if the child shows signs of the disorder and the task force's recommendation addresses whether or not doctors should use questionnaires or similar tools to check children for autism despite that they do not show obvious signs of the condition.
The task force said that there is no sufficient evidence to warrant recommendation for such screening. USPSTF vice chairman, David Grossman, who is also a pediatrician, said that they found significant research gaps involving the harms and benefits associated with screening all children for ASD and they need more evidence.
The panel, for instance, wanted more research that would look into the outcomes of children without exhibiting ASD symptoms diagnosed through screening. It did not also find proof to support the accuracy of tools that are used for screening children, particularly the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT), wherein parents provide answer to a series of questions regarding the communication skills, movement and attention of their children, which would be used as basis to conduct closer examination to diagnose ASD.
Grossman said that while early treatment is promising to more severely affected children, this has not been studied in children with mild symptoms that were caught only in screening.
"The USPSTF concludes that the evidence is insufficient, and that the balance of benefits and harms of screening and interventions for speech and language delay and disorders in young children in primary care settings cannot be determined," reads the USPSTF recommendation statement.
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