The first people to notice unusual behaviour in a child are parents. Even when the child is a little over a year old, we may notice little things, like the fact that the toddler doesn’t look at us when called. Our first reaction is usually to check with our parents if this is ok. More often, we just assume (and hope) that things will change later.
An online tool called M-CHAT-R (Modified Checklist of Autism in Toddlers) can help us make sense of some of our children’s unusual behaviour, and to know if we should seek expert help from developmental paediatricians or psychologists.
M-CHAT-R contains a series of informative questions, the answers to which can help us figure out if we need to get screening done.
Why the M-CHAT-R could prove invaluable
- We all know the importance of early intervention, and M-CHAT-R is helpful for screening children between 16-30 months of age.
- The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends autism screening for all children at 18 and 24 months of age, and the M-CHAT-R is one of their recommended tools.
- The test can be taken by parents at home, without the stress and apprehension usually associated with screening of this nature.
You can access this tool by clicking M-CHAT-R.
