Can Novel Telemedicine Tools Reduce Disparities Related to Early Identification of Autism

Overview

In this study, the investigators are trying to find new ways to screen for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in young children. The investigators want to see if people like pediatricians can screen children for ASD while a psychologist watches on a monitor. The investigators are testing two screening tools. The investigators want to see if they are good at identifying children with ASD and children without ASD. The investigators hope this research will make it easier for families to get answers when there are concerns for ASD.

The investigators will evaluate and compare two telemedicine assessment tools (TELE-STAT and TELE-ASD-PEDS) that could allow parents or naive providers in remote locations to complete an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) risk assessment via telemedicine consultation via an expert psychologist. These tools will be low cost, compliant with privacy rules, easily deployed in community practice settings, and explicitly designed to work within paradigms that may be pragmatically and financially viable for systems of care housing remote clinicians. These telemedicine tools could provide methodologies wherein children could be rapidly linked to and appropriately assessed by ASD experts within practice locations where the children are currently receiving care. In turn, these children, who without such assessment may wait months or over a year in many circumstances to access assessments and interventions, may be able to receive appropriate ASD assessments within days or weeks of screening/surveillance concerns within practice settings where the children are already accessing and familiar with (i.e., minimizing loss to referral and follow-up)