Early Screening of Autism Spectrum Disorder in General and Pediatric Practices

Early screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder has been validated using different screening tools, in particular M-CHAT-R and ITC in different countries. Unfortunaltely, in France, they are not often used. Thus, medium age for diagnosis in France is late. Yet, early interventions has shown efficiency (grade B of HAS 2010 recommendations, HAS 2018) . The American have described an efficient method using partnership between pediatricians and autism specialists (Miller et al). Autism Spectrum Disorders concern 1% of population. The third Autism Plan in France then HAS 2018 Recommandations and The 2018 National Strategy for Autism have propose to implement three levels for early diagnostic : the frontline is constituted by professionals who can detect the firsts signs ( in nurseries, general practice, pediatric practice, early childhood centers), the second line is constituted by the proximity network of professionals who can diagnose " simple " autism ( CMP, CAMSP, neurologic pediatricians), the third line is constituted by expert teem in specialized hospital centers for neurodevelopmental disorders diagnostic.

This organization is, for now, not efficient. First lines professionals are not always formed to autism detection. When the screening is efficient, professionals have difficulties to address children to proximity teem trained to autism diagnostic because of delays or lack of professionals. The second line professionals are note always trained to use diagnostic tools and tend to address all the children to the third line, even when the diagnostic is not complex. The third lign is saturated by all these requests.