Approaches of Early Detection of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

Due to the heterogeneity of ASD population, many difficulties emerge when it comes to diagnosis of the disorder and even more difficulties regarding early detection. Specifically, early detection enables diagnosis to be made before the span of 24-30 months, the age where the official diagnosis is usually made. As it is known, earlier diagnosis is very crucial as children with ASD can benefit more from programs of early intervention. Taking all these into account, a brief review of the most popular approaches for early detection of ASD would be elaborated in order to raise awareness to health care professionals, clinicians, and parents. Moreover, in this chapter, the pros and the cons of each approach would be elaborated, and in the final part, some recommendations would be made concerning the process of early detection.