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The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends screening for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at the 18- and 24-month well-child visits, along with regular developmental surveillance. Despite recent evidence suggesting that diagnosis can be made before age 2 years, the average age of ASD detection in the U.S. is between 3 and 4 years.
To determine the youngest age at which ASD testing is reliable, researchers from a large expert autism evaluation center repeatedly evaluated 1269 toddlers referred through a community-based early detection program (which screens for ASD at 12-, 18-, and 24-month well-child visits or through community services). Psychologists performed developmental tests at baseline and every 12 months until children were age 3 y…