Autism Information
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs): What We Know and How Pediatric Health Care Professionals Can Help Patients and Families
This educational webinar was offered on April 30, 2012, by the AAP in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. The webinar, presented by national autism experts, was designed to provide pediatric health care professionals with the latest information on autism prevalence, discuss identification and management of children with ASDs within a practice, and highlight resources available to help children with ASDs and their families.
Objectives:
- Provide an overview of the new ASD identified prevalence estimates with insight into possible factors contributing to the increase in identification of autism;
- Share resources CDC has developed to help families and health care professionals monitor a child’s early development and take action on concerns;
- Describe the AAP’s clinical guidance regarding screening for ASDs, particularly in light of new ASD identified prevalence estimates, and also highlight AAP's ASD resources.
Presenters:
Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp, MD, FAAP
Medical Epidemiologist and Chief of the Developmental Disabilities Branch in the CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
Georgina Peacock, MD, MPH, FAAP
Developmental-behavioral pediatrician in the CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
Susan L. Hyman, MD, FAAP
Chairperson, AAP Council on Children with Disabilities Autism Subcommittee
Files available for download:
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The AAP Council on Children with Disabilities (COCWD) Autism Subcommittee (ASC) serves as the main point of contact for the Academy on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) issues. The ASC is dedicated to helping the Academy ensure that accurate, comprehensive information about ASDs is available and communicated to pediatricians, parents, and the public.
Please see current and past COCWD e-Newsletters for ASC updates.
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Identification and Evaluation of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders
PEDIATRICS, November 2007, Reaffirmed September 2010 (Clinical Report)
Chris Plauché Johnson, MD, MEd, Scott M. Myers, MD and the COCWD
Management of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders
PEDIATRICS, November 2007, Reaffirmed September 2010 (Clinical Report)
Scott M. Myers, MD, Chris Plauché Johnson, MD, MEd and the COCWD
Identifying Infants and Young Children With Developmental Disorders in the Medical Home: An Algorithm for Developmental Surveillance and Screening
PEDIATRICS, July 2006, Reaffirmed December 2009 (Policy Statement)
COCWD, Section on Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, Bright Futures Steering Committee and Medical Home Initiatives for Children With Special Needs Project Advisory Committee
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Pediatric Care Online (PCO) Webinar—Autism Spectrum Disorders
This webinar, recorded live in September 2011, focused on: screening and diagnosis recommendations; an overview of treatment approaches, including medication; and a review of current controversies. This webinar was presented by Patricia Manning-Courtney, MD, FAAP, COCWD Autism Subcommittee Member. Dr Manning-Courtney is Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Pediatric Developmental Specialist, and Medical Director of The Kelly O'Leary Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders, Division of Developmental Disabilities at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. To access an archived recording of this event and the PowerPoint presentation, click here.
AUTISM: Caring for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Resource Toolkit for Clinicians
The AAP has developed a comprehensive clinical resource (on CD-ROM) to assist in the recognition, evaluation, and ongoing management of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) throughout a child’s life span. This toolkit brings together a wealth of ready-to-use resources, including handouts for families on popular autism-specific topics. A sneak preview of the toolkit has been developed for AAP members.
Autism Identification & Management Webinar 
The AAP hosted a free webinar on Autism Identification and Management to provide child health professionals with information and practical strategies for providing a medical home to children with ASDs. The webinar was be led by nationally recognized experts with the goal of describing the recommendations put forth in the two AAP Clinical Reports regarding identification and management of ASDs, providing insights on how to utilize the AAP Screening Algorithm in practice, and recommendations for implementing pieces of the AAP Autism Toolkit.
Autism A.L.A.R.M. 
These guidelines, adapted from key policy statements of the AAP and American Academy of Neurology, were developed in order to establish standard practices among physicians, to simplify the screening process, and to ensure that all children receive routine and appropriate screenings and timely interventions. These recommended guidelines are critical for ensuring that children stay on a healthy developmental path.
The Medical Home and Early Intervention Programs
Early intervention is critical for children with autism. The AAP, Medical Home Initiatives for Children With Special Needs, and Ideas that Work collaborated on a resource to educate pediatric clinicians about early intervention programs funded under Part C of IDEA; educate early intervention programs about the role of the medical home in providing care in concert with the family and other service providers and provide strategies for effective collaboration between the pediatric clinician and early intervention programs.
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Sound Advice on Autism 
Parents who receive a diagnosis of autism in their child face a daunting set of questions. To provide them with guidance and support, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), led by the Council on Children with Disabilities (COCWD) Autism Subcommittee (ASC), has created a series of audio interviews with developmental and behavioral pediatricians, a pediatric neurologist, a general pediatrician, autism researchers, and parents of children with autism. Listen to Sound Advice on Autism.
On the Sound Advice on Autism site, parents can listen as experts answer questions about autism spectrum disorders including:
- What causes autism? How common is it?
- What are the early signs of autism?
- How can families learn about early intervention services in their area?
- What are the most effective therapies for autism?
- How could a child’s autism diagnosis affect a family?
- What guidance would you offer parents who want to explore complementary and alternative therapies?
- Can particular diets or vitamins help children with autism?
- Is autism related to gastrointestinal disorders?
- Why do some children "lose" their autism diagnosis?
"We want parents to use these audio interviews as a resource as they learn about their child's diagnosis and plot a course of therapies and services," said Judith Palfrey, MD, FAAP, past president of the AAP. "We know parents have many questions, and pediatricians want them to have access to the scientifically based information they need to make decisions about their child's care."
Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs)
This booklet provides critical information about autism spectrum disorders and answers all the most common questions asked by parents about ASD. This booklet will help also identify symptoms so that an intervention program can be started as soon as possible.
What are Autism Spectrum Disorders and What are the Symptoms?
Excerpt from "Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders"
Available on www.healthychildren.org
Is Your Toddler Communicating With You?
This brochure encourages parents to share any concerns they have about their baby's language development with their pediatrician as early as possible. It also provides early language and social milestones in a checklist format.
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Autism Case Training - A Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Curriculum (ACT)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Learn the Signs. Act Early. campaign launched ACT in late 2011. The AAP-endorsed curriculum is designed to educate future pediatricians on identifying, diagnosing, and managing autism spectrum disorders through case-based scenarios.
The curriculum is a flexible, interactive learning tool that emphasizes practical skills for patient and parent interaction. Facilitators and learners are supported with a suite of materials to enhance their experience. ACT consists of 7 case-based studies that can be taught individually or as part of a series. To download ACT materials or other LSAE resources visit the CDC Web site. For additional information, email ActEarly@cdc.gov.
Learn The Signs. Act Early.
The CDC, in partnership with many organizations, including the AAP, launched an early identification awareness campaign to educate parents about childhood development, including early warning signs of autism and other developmental disorders. The earlier a child with a developmental delay receives appropriate assessment and intervention, the better the developmental outcome can be.
- Learn the Signs. Act Early Autism Fact Sheets in Multiple Languages
The University of Southern California Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (USC UCEDD) has translated the CDC Learn the Signs. Act Early Autism Fact Sheet into Arabic, Armenian, Farsi, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese.
- Provider Resource Kit
This kit to helps prepare the health care community for the anticipated increase in questions and requests for information from parents. The kit contains materials designed to help health care professionals communicate with parents about childhood development, what parents should be concerned about, and the warning signs of autism and other delays. Resources and materials are designed for health care professionals and can be downloaded or ordered and mailed to your office at no charge.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—Autism Web site
The features of the CDC Autism Web site include: updated and easy-to-read information on facts, screening, diagnosis, and treatments; pages dedicated to data & statistics, research, and publications; individualized pages for different visitors—people with ASD, families, healthcare providers, educators, and partners.
Association of Maternal and Child Health Program (AMCHP) State Public Health Autism Resource Center (SPHARC)
SPHARC is a comprehensive resource center for state Title V agencies and others interested in improving systems for children, youth and families with autism spectrum disorders. In addition, SPHARC offers technical assistance calls on subjects such as financing of care, care coordination, cultural competency, family-centered care, medical home, health information technology, and transition.
Association for Science in Autism Treatment
The Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT) is a not-for-profit organization of parents and professionals committed to improving the education, treatment, and care of people with autism. Their mission is to share accurate, scientifically sound information about autism and treatments for autism. Since being established in 1998, they have been striving to adopt higher standards of accountability for the care, education, and treatment of all individuals with autism.
Autism Science Foundation
The Autism Science Foundation's mission is to support autism research by providing funding and other assistance to scientists and organizations conducting, facilitating, publicizing and disseminating autism research. The organization also provides information about autism to the general public and serves to increase awareness of autism spectrum disorders and the needs of individuals and families affected by autism.
Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks is dedicated to funding global biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatments, and cure for autism; to raising public awareness about autism and its effects on individuals, families, and society; and to bringing hope to all who deal with the hardships of this disorder. Autism Speaks is committed to raising the funds necessary to support these goals.
- 100 Day Kit & Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism Toolkit
The Autism Speaks 100 Day Kit and the Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism Toolkit was created specifically for newly diagnosed families, to make the best possible use of the 100 days following the diagnosis of autism/aspergers.
- ASD Video Glossary
The ASD Video Glossary, an innovative Web-based tool designed to help parents and professionals learn more about the early red flags and diagnostic features of autism spectrum disorders, contains over a hundred video clips and is available free of charge from Autism Speaks.
- Transition Tool Kit for Individuals With Autism
The Autism Speaks Transition Tool Kit is a unique guide and roadmap to help families on the journey from adolescence to adult life. One of the guiding principles of the Tool Kit is the need to develop self-advocacy skills for all individuals with autism. The kit identifies opportunities and resources to develop these skills with the goal of enabling the adolescent or young adult to participate to the greatest extent possible in their own transition plan.
Autism Speaks—Autism Treatment Network
The Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network (ATN) is the nation's first network of hospitals and physicians dedicated to developing a model of comprehensive medical care for children and adolescents with autism. To provide additional data to support the development of evaluation and treatment guidelines, ATN clinicians also conduct clinical research projects directly aimed at improving children's health and healthcare. The ATN is committed to developing standard treatment protocols for comorbid physical health conditions based on proven clinical experience and evidence from the Network's registry and related clinical research projects.
Autism Society of America
Autism Society of America (ASA) is a leading voice and resource of the entire autism community in education, advocacy, services, research, and support. The ASA is committed to meaningful participation and self-determination in all aspects of life for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families. ASA accomplishes its ongoing mission through close collaboration with a network of chapters, members, and supporters.
Easter Seals Autism Services
Easter Seals programs across the country provide a wide variety of interventions that help individuals of all abilities, including those with ASD. Easter Seals currently has a combination of services specifically targeting individuals with the diagnosis of ASD as well as other services that include individuals with ASD among their service recipients.
Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee
The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) is a Federal advisory committee that coordinates all efforts within the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) concerning ASD. Through its inclusion of both Federal and public members, the IACC helps to ensure that a wide range of ideas and perspectives are represented and discussed in a public forum. Of interest: 2011 Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research & 2010 Summary of Advances in Autism Spectrum Disorder Research.
Interactive Autism Network
The Interactive Autism Network (IAN) - a project of Kennedy Krieger Institute - is an innovative online project bringing together tens of thousands of people nationwide affected by ASD and hundreds of researchers in a search for answers. Individuals with an ASD and their families can share information in a secure setting to become part of the largest online autism research effort in the United States.
MCH Library Knowledge Path: Autism Spectrum Disorders
The knowledge path is intended for use by health professionals, educators, researchers, policymakers, and families. A selection of current, high-quality resources about ASD identification and intervention. The knowledge path, produced by the MCH Library, includes information on (and links to) Web sites, electronic and print publications, and databases containing resources about biomedical research into the causes of ASD; resources that address the communication, education, and vocational challenges associated with ASD; and resources about ASD's impact on family life. Separate sections identify resources about ASD and environmental health research as well as those that address concerns about vaccines.
National Institute of Mental Health
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a component of the HHS. The mission of NIMH is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure. The NIMH site contains autism information on identification, treatment, coping as well as statistics and free publications.
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* AAP is not responsible for the content of resources/sites that are external to the AAP. Linking to a Web site does not constitute an endorsement by AAP of the sponsors of the site or the information presented on the site.
