Spotted early signs for Autism? Here are some online screening tools

Every child is different and each one develops and progresses at their own pace. However, delay or missing important milestones may be a cause of concern. 

In such cases, it is important to seek professional guidance for a complete assessment.

Early signs of autism can be noticed as early as 18 months and early assessment  intervention can go a long way in improving outcomes.

When do I seek help?

Have you identified red flags for Autism?

Children will develop at their own pace, however missing important milestones should not be ignored. Some significant signs that need attention, include:

• Lack of name response
• Limited or no eye contact
• Delayed gross motor milestones such as walking, crawling etc
• Lack of speech and communication
• Repetitive movements and fixed interests

Are you concerned about your child’s developmental delays?

Delay or missing a milestone does not necessarily indicate autism, it is however helpful to seek immediate professional help to identify the cause of concern.

• Social and emotional skills:
  • Does not show much interest in people around them 
  • Does not point to things
  • Has low or no name response
  • Does not play with other children
• Language and communication skills
  • Shows less or no interest in interacting or communicating with people around
  • Has very less vocabulary for a given age
  • limited or no speech or language development
• Cognitive skills 
  • Does not participate in play or turn taking games
  • Limited or no pretend play
  • Difficulty in understanding concepts or ideas
  • limited problem-solving skills
• Physical skills
  • Delayed gross motor skills such as difficulty in crawling, walking or balancing
  • Repetitive body movements such as flicking of fingers or flapping of hands or rocking

Is he/she not communicating or not making eye contact?

Delay in communication and speech/language development is one of the most common signs of autism.

Development of speech and language will differ from one child to another, however, some red flags to observe:

• Not babbling by 6 months
• Not able to string together letters to make sounds by 12 months
• No use of gestures like pointing or waving
• Very few or no words by 18 months, 
• does not understand instructions
• Fewer than 50 words even at 2 years 

These concerns along with lack of eye contact should not be ignored.

If you find yourself riddled with these questions then you should definitely consider taking the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) or the Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT).

An assessment for autism should always be done by a healthcare professional. However,there are certain online screening tools that may help parents understand the signs and traits of their child. This can further guide them to approach their physicians for a proper assessment and diagnosis and access to early intervention and support.

Two commonly used online screening tests are M-CHAT and Q-CHAT that are free Autism screening tests available online.

Modified Checklist for Autism (M-CHAT)

The M-CHAT is a free online screening tool that can be used to identify the risk of autism in children. It consists of 20 questions to be completed by parents. These questions are based on the child’s developmental milestones and behaviours. 

The results can act as a guide for further evaluation and assessment. M-CHAT is widely used for developmental screening of children between ages 16-30months. The test can be accessed here 

Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT)

An online autism assessment tool, Q-CHAT is a screening test with 25 questions based on the child’s behaviour. The scores are a quantitative measure of the autistic characteristics of a child. It is used for children between the ages of 18 and 24 months old. The test can be accessed here

Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) Test

AQ Test (child) It acts as a guide for parents to understand if their child requires assessment for autism. It is aimed at assessing children between the ages of 4 and 11 years.

AQ Test (adult) is an online screening tool that can be used to identify autistic traits in individuals aged 16 and above.

These tests can be accessed here.

Who should take these tests?

• These tests were designed to help identify children with risk for Autism as early as possible. 
• This is beneficial as early detection will help address some of the developmental delays, and in some cases the delays can be efficiently managed. 
• These assessment tools help identify potential risks for Autism in a child. 
• Scoring of these tests don’t require any formal training, and hence can be self-administered by parents without the involvement of a therapist.

It is important to understand that these tests are by no means diagnostic tools for Autism. They merely help identify children who are at a higher risk for Autism. It is thus completely harmless for every parent to take these online tests to help spot early signs of Autism.

What to do after taking these tests?

If you have taken these tests because of specific concerns you may have had with regard to your child’s development, then irrespective of the results of the test please carry your scores to a Developmental Pediatrician/Psychologist/Pediatrician near you to discuss the scores and get a complete developmental assessment for your child.

Once you spot early signs of Autism the key to effective management is early intervention. Learn about the importance of early intervention and act promptly.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this guide is for information purposes only. Please consult a qualified health practitioner for safe management.

If you have questions about Autism, Down Syndrome, ADHD, or other intellectual disabilities, or have concerns about developmental delays in a child, the Nayi Disha team is here to help. For any questions or queries, please contact our FREE Helpline at 844-844-8996. You can call or what’s app us. Our counselors speak different languages including English, Hindi, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, and Bengali.