Enhancing access to autism diagnostic services for children in the community

Penner, Melanie; Lai, Meng-Chuan

doi:10.1177/13623613231201212

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Incorporation of the LUI in early language and social communication evaluations could also help ensure children with significant, but perhaps more difficult-to-detect, social communication delays are directed to such waitlists in a more timely manner. Moreover, having low standardized scores from the LUI may confer greater diagnostic urgency for children referred to physicians, further expediting waitlist entry and, ultimately, diagnostic services ( Penner & Lai, 2023 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Utility of the Language Use Inventory in Young Children at Elevated Likelihood of Autism

Blume,

Miller,

O'Neill

et al. 2024

J Speech Lang Hear Res

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Purpose: The aims of this study were (a) to evaluate the convergent validity of the Language Use Inventory (LUI) with measures of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms, language, and social skills and (b) to assess discriminant validity of the LUI with measures of nonlanguage skills, including daily living skills and motor development. Method: This study sample included participants from a longitudinal study ( n = 239) of infant siblings with elevated familial likelihood of ASD and lower familial likelihood. Assessment measures completed at 36 months included the LUI, the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule–Second Edition (ADOS-2), the Mullen Scales of Early Learning, and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales–Second Edition. Bivariate Pearson correlations were estimated between ADOS-2 comparison scores and four language and social skills measures. Additional correlations were estimated between LUI total scores and standard scores from nonlanguage measures. A series of Fisher's Z transformations were applied to evaluate whether bivariate correlations were significantly different. Results: All four language and social skill measures were moderately to strongly associated with each other and ASD symptom severity scores. The correlation between ADOS-2 comparison scores and LUI total scores was significantly stronger than ADOS-2 correlations with all other measures. Conclusions: Our findings provide support for the LUI as a feasible, pragmatic language–targeted instrument for inclusion in early developmental evaluations prompted by language concerns. Administration of the LUI may accelerate earlier referral for a comprehensive assessment of ASD symptoms. Given the high correlation with ADOS-2 scores, an LUI total score in a clinical range of concern may encourage a clinician to refer families for a full diagnostic evaluation of ASD.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Utility of the Language Use Inventory in Young Children at Elevated Likelihood of Autism

Blume,

Miller,

O'Neill

et al. 2024

J Speech Lang Hear Res

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These findings contribute to a larger body of literature highlighting the inequalities in access to timely diagnosis, which together with the importance of receiving early, autism‐specific treatment, demands new approaches that facilitate access to autism services before a specialist‐led diagnostic evaluation, for children with a clear need for autism‐specific services 5 . These approaches include diagnoses made by primary care clinicians, whether that includes specialty training and supports (e.g., Extension for community healthcare outcome [ECHO] Autism), 8 or diagnostic classifications made for clear cases without any specialty training or supports, 9 as well as use of lower‐cost and more accessible telemedicine‐based evaluations (e.g., Tele‐ASD‐PEDS) 10 . A widespread implementation of these approaches will greatly reduce burden and disparities by offering accurate and satisfactory alternatives to comprehensive in‐person specialty evaluations.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%