Autism at One-Year Checkup

By Michael Smith, North American Correspondent, MedPage Today Published: April 28, 2011 Reviewed by Zalman S. Agus, MD; Emeritus Professor  Checklist  University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Dorothy Caputo, MA, RN, BC-ADM, CDE, Nurse Planner

A simple checklist, administered at the one-year well-baby checkup, has the potential to identify children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) as early as 12 months -- prompting earlier and possibly more effective treatment, researchers reported. "There is extensive evidence that early therapy can have a positive impact on the developing brain," remarked lead author Karen Pierce, PhD, of the University of California San Diego.