Autism Early Screening and Diagnosis

It is important to have early and continuous surveillance and screening for ASDs to ensure that children are identified and receive access to services as early as possible. The sooner an ASD is identified, the sooner an intervention program can start. With early and intensive interventions, children with autism can make remarkable progress in all areas.

Nationwide Children's Hospital’s has developed an interdisciplinary approach to the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders. In order to provide state of the art assessment and diagnosis, the Child Development Center has recruited a range of specialists including:
  • Developmental Pediatrician
  • Psychologists
  • Neurologists
  • Speech and Language Pathologists
  • Nurses
  • Resource Coordinators
If you are concerned about your child’s development or you suspect that your child has autism, this team will provide an extensive evaluation to answer these questions.  They will also begin your treatment planning and connect you with specialized autism treatment services provided by the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders.      

Autism Screening Instrument

The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) instrument is used to screen toddlers between 16 and 30 months of age to assess their risk for autism spectrum disorders.

If you answer “No” about your child to more than 3 items, contact your child’s pediatrician or family physician for an evaluation, or call (614) 355-8080 to request an appointment with Nationwide Children’s Behavioral Health Services.

For additional information, please call (614) 355-7570 and ask to speak with an Autism Resource Clinician.

Please note that there is a high false positive rate, meaning that not all children who score at risk for autism spectrum disorders will be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.

Autism Screening
Access the M-CHAT Screening Instrument