Developmental Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Iranian Pre-Schoolers

Area of Science:

• Developmental Pediatrics
• Child Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Early identification and intervention are crucial for developmental disabilities like autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• Existing screening tools are often developed in high-income, English-speaking countries, limiting their applicability in diverse cultural contexts.
• There is a need for culturally relevant screening methods for ASD in different populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify early signs of ASD relevant to Iranian society.
• To develop and validate culturally adapted screening instruments for ASD in young children.
• To assess the efficacy of new screening tools in identifying children at risk for ASD.

Main Methods:

• Parents of 623 children aged 3-7 years, at risk for ASD, were interviewed about their concerns.
• Two screening instruments were developed based on the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS2).
• One tool focused on autistic behaviors, the other on developmental indicators, tested with parents.

Main Results:

• The developed screening tools successfully identified children likely to have ASD.
• 93% of children identified as potentially having ASD by a full GARS assessment were also flagged by the new screening tools.
• The instruments demonstrated high concordance with established ASD assessment methods.

Conclusions:

• The developed screening tools show promise for initial ASD screening in Iranian children.
• Early years personnel and public health professionals can utilize these assessments for toddlers with developmental concerns.
• Culturally adapted screening tools can improve early detection and intervention for ASD in diverse populations.