/articles/Since%20it%20debuted%20in%202011,%20the%20Get%20SET%20Early%20program,%20which%20provides%20pediatricians%20and%20parents%20with%20a%20relatively%20simple%20process%20to%20screen%20for%20indicators%20of%20autism%20spectrum%20disorder%20(ASD)%20in%20children%20as%20young%20as%20age%201,%20has%20steadily%20grown%20in%20use%20and%20validation.%20Early%20screening%20and%20identification%20of%20ASD%20has%20been%20linked%20to%20more%20effective%20treatment.%20%20%20A%20new%20study,%20published%20in%20the%20April%2026,%202021%20issue%20of%20the%20Journal%20of%20Pediatrics,%20by%20researchers%20at%20University%20of%20California%20San%20Diego%20School%20of%20Medicine,%20further%20bolsters%20these%20findings.%20%20%20Led%20by%20Karen%20Pierce,%20PhD,%20a%20professor%20in%20the%20Department%20of%20Neurosciences%20who%20with%20colleagues%20created%20the%20Get%20SET%20Early%20program,%20researchers%20at%20the%20UC%20San%20Diego%20Autism%20Center%20of%20Excellence%20(ACE)%20assembled%20a%20network%20of%20203%20pediatricians%20in%20the%20San%20Diego%20region%20who%20conducted%20systematic%20screenings%20of%2059,411%20infants%20or%20toddlers%20at%20their%2012-,%2018-%20and%2024-month%20check-ups.%20%20%20%20Parents%20completed%20a%20validated%20questionnaire%20about%20their%20child%E2%80%99s%20use%20of%20eye%20contact,%20words,%20gestures%20and%20other%20forms%20of%20age-appropriate%20communication,%20using%20either%20a%20paper%20form%20or%20an%20iPad.%20The%20final%20question%20on%20the%20screening%20tool:%20%E2%80%9CDo%20you%20have%20any%20concerns%20about%20your%20child%E2%80%99s%20development?%E2%80%9D%20(Yes%20or%20No).%20%20Digital%20screens%20automatically%20scored%20patients%20as%20pass%20or%20fail.%20Pediatricians%20were%20asked%20to%20indicate%20whether%20they%20were%20referring%20toddlers%20who%20failed%20a%20screening%20for%20further%20evaluation%20and%20if%20not,%20why%20not.%20%20Overall,%20897%20children%20failed%20the%20initial%20screening%20and%20received%20further%20evaluation%20at%20ACE.%20Within%20this%20cohort,%20403%20received%20a%20subsequent%20diagnosis%20of%20ASD.%20Approximately%2060%20percent%20of%20these%20children%20were%20assessed%20at%20their%2012-month%20well%20baby%20visits,%20and%20received%20a%20comprehensive%20evaluation,%20diagnosis%20and%20treatment%20referral%20by%20age%2015%20months.%20%20%20%E2%80%9CThere%20is%20extensive%20evidence%20that%20early%20therapy%20can%20have%20a%20positive%20impact%20on%20the%20developing%20brain,%E2%80%9D%20said%20Pierce,%20who%20is%20co-director%20of%20ACE.%20%20%E2%80%9CThe%20opportunity%20to%20diagnose%20and%20thus%20begin%20treatment%20for%20autism%20around%20a%20child%E2%80%99s%20first%20birthday%20has%20enormous%20potential%20to%20change%20outcomes%20for%20children%20affected%20with%20the%20disorder.%20These%20toddlers,%20as%20part%20of%20the%20Get%20SET%20Early%20program%20began%20treatment%20roughly%20three%20years%20earlier%20than%20the%20national%20average%20of%2052%20months.%E2%80%9D%20%20But%20the%20study%20also%20revealed%20some%20surprising%20findings:%20Participating%20pediatricians%20referred%20only%2039%20percent%20of%20toddlers%20who%20had%20failed%20a%20screening%20for%20additional%20evaluation.%20%20%20%E2%80%9CData%20from%20the%20iPads%20indicated%20the%20lack%20of%20referral%20follow-through%20was%20because%20pediatricians%20thought%20that%20the%20results%20of%20the%20screen%20were%20wrong,%E2%80%9D%20said%20Pierce.%20%E2%80%9CBut%20if%20a%20parent%20noted%20that%20they%20were%20concerned%20by%20checking%20%E2%80%98yes%E2%80%99%20on%20the%20last%20question,%20the%20referral%20rate%20increased%20to%2070%20percent.%20%20%20%E2%80%9CThese%20findings%20underscore%20the%20importance%20of%20parent%20participation%20and%20input%20when%20seeking%20to%20detect%20the%20earliest%20signs%20of%20ASD%20or%20other%20development%20delays%20in%20young%20children.%20If%20you%20are%20a%20parent%20and%20have%20even%20minor%20concerns%20about%20how%20your%20child%20is%20developing,%20you%20must%20speak%20up.%20Don%E2%80%99t%20wait.%20Your%20voice%20carries%20weight.%E2%80%9D%20%20ASD%20is%20now%20estimated%20to%20affect%20one%20in%20every%2054%20children%20born%20in%20the%20United%20States.%20Multiple%20studies,%20including%20research%20conducted%20by%20Pierce%20and%20colleagues%20have%20found%20that%20simple%20parent%20checklists%20performed%20as%20early%20as%20a%20child%E2%80%99s%20first%20birthday%20can%20identify%20symptoms%20of%20ASD.%20Early%20diagnoses%20have%20been%20found%20to%20be%20highly%20stable%20as%20early%20as%2014%20months.%20%20%20Pierce%20said%20the%20Get%20SET%20Early%20program,%20which%20has%20expanded%20to%20other%20cities%20and%20states%20with%20funding%20from%20the%20National%20Institute%20of%20Mental%20Health,%20can%20be%20adopted%20by%20any%20pediatric%20office,%20at%20virtually%20no%20cost.%20%20Co-authors%20include:%20Vahid%20Gazestani,%20Lizabeth%20Bacon,%20Eric%20Courchesne,%20Amanda%20Cheng,%20Cynthia%20Carter%20Barnes,%20Srinivasa%20Nalabolu,%20Debra%20Cha,%20Steven%20Arias,%20Linda%20Lopez%20and%20Christie%20Pham,%20all%20at%20UC%20San%20Diego;%20Kim%20Gaines,%20Gohar%20Gyurjyan,%20Terri%20Cook-Clark%20and%20Kathy%20Karins,%20all%20at%20San%20Diego%20Regional%20Center.%20%20%20Funding%20for%20this%20research%20came,%20in%20part,%20from%20the%20National%20Institute%20of%20Mental%20Health%20(grant%20R01%20MH104446).%20%20%20Full%20study:%20https:/www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(21)00392-9/fulltext 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