The Autism Research Centre (ARC), University of Cambridge, will receive £461,420 in funding to investigate whether earlier identification, resulting in earlier treatment, improves the prognosis of an autistic child.
The Autism Research Centre (ARC), University of Cambridge, will receive £461,420 in funding to investigate whether earlier identification, resulting in earlier treatment, improves the prognosis of an autistic child.
The study, entitled "Early vs. Late Detection of Autism in Children”, will investigate the early detection of autism in children aged 18 months, compared to those diagnosed at 3 years.
Professor Simon Baron-Cohen said: "This project is vitally important if we are to establish a reliable method for bringing down the age of diagnosis of all autism spectrum conditions, not just the severe cases of classic autism, but the more easily-overlooked cases of Asperger Syndrome as well.
“The target is to succeed in identifying at least 75% of all cases of autism spectrum conditions by the age of 18 months old. We can then test if early identification leads to a better prognosis compared to later identification. At the very least, early identification should mean an end to parents going from doctor to doctor worrying about what might be wrong with their child, with the diagnosis being delayed by years unnecessarily."
Using a quantitative version of the Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (CHAT) screening instrument, which is a newly revised instrument, this project will compare early detection in children with autism (at 18 months) against later detection (at 36 months). The aim is to ascertain the value of the screening instrument as a cost-effective, easy-to-use tool for early identification of autism spectrum conditions, and to test for direct empirical evidence of the effectiveness of early intervention.
Autism is thought to be a spectrum of neurodevelopmental conditions, characterised by difficulties in the development of social relationships and communication skills, the presence of unusually strong narrow interests, and repetitive behaviour. Early identification of this condition, resulting in earlier intervention, is believed to improve prognosis as well as reduce parental stress.
The Big Lottery Fund awarded the National Autistic Society (NAS) the grant of £461,420 over 3 years, which will fund the ARC. The NAS is a partner of the ARC.
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