Vanderbilt Kennedy Center/Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1207 17thAvenue, Suite 202, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA.
Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
J Autism Dev Disord. 2022 May;52(5):2247-2257. doi: 10.1007/s10803-021-05112-7. Epub 2021 Jun 4.
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the use of telemedicine as an avenue to address the need for diagnostic clarification in young children at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although preliminary research has supported the use of telemedicine for identifying ASD in toddlers, little is known about the experiences of practitioners attempting direct-to-home tele-assessment. We surveyed diagnostic providers regarding changes in practice behavior in the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic and their perceptions of ASD tele-assessment. We also examined the use of the TELE-ASD-PEDS, a novel tool for ASD tele-assessment, in response to COVID-19 at seven sites across the country. Results support the clinical acceptability and diagnostic utility of ASD tele-assessment while also highlighting critical avenues of future investigation.
COVID-19 大流行增加了远程医疗的使用，作为一种途径来满足对有自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）风险的幼儿进行诊断澄清的需求。虽然初步研究支持使用远程医疗来识别幼儿的 ASD，但对于尝试直接在家进行远程评估的从业者的经验却知之甚少。我们调查了诊断提供者在 COVID-19 最初几个月中实践行为的变化及其对 ASD 远程评估的看法。我们还研究了在全国七个地点使用一种用于 ASD 远程评估的新工具 TELE-ASD-PEDS 来应对 COVID-19 的情况。研究结果支持 ASD 远程评估的临床可接受性和诊断效用，同时也突出了未来调查的关键途径。
