Governor David A. Paterson signed a bill this week that will require the Department of Health (DOH) to update the guidelines used by pediatricians to identify children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and refer them for appropriate services.
“This legislation will help pediatricians across the state quickly and comprehensively identify kids with ASDs, so that they can receive the support they need at an early age,” said Paterson. “Coupled with other efforts recently announced by the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, this bill will not only ensure our children have access to appropriate services, but will help educate the public on these often overlooked disorders.”
ASDs are developmental disabilities usually evident and typically diagnosed within the first years of life and often associated with mental retardation. Individuals with ASDs often have difficulty relating and responding to persons, events or objects, and engage in repetitive behaviors or exhibit preoccupation with narrow interests. The severity of these challenging behaviors varies considerably, resulting in multiple diagnoses along the autism spectrum.
According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ASDs affect one in every 150 children in some communities.
The bill requires DOH to establish best practice protocols for early screening of children for ASDs by pediatric primary care providers. These protocols would incorporate standards and guidelines established by the American Academy of Pediatrics and must include: (1) the routine employment of objective ASD screening tools at regular intervals during critical childhood developmental stages; (2) facilitation of a dialogue between service provider and parents for purposes of educating the parents about ASDs, using a modified checklist for ASDs in toddlers; and (3) an appropriate referral mechanism for children who, based upon results of the screening process, require further evaluation. The bill also requires DOH to make the modified checklist for ASD available to the public on its website.
