Frontiers in Pediatrics (Apr 2021)
A Multistate Trial of an Early Surveillance Program for Autism Within General Practices in Australia
- Josephine Barbaro,
- Josephine Barbaro,
- Anne Masi,
- Anne Masi,
- Melissa Gilbert,
- Radhika Nair,
- Ifrah Abdullahi,
- Joseph Descallar,
- Joseph Descallar,
- Cheryl Dissanayake,
- Cheryl Dissanayake,
- John Eastwood,
- John Eastwood,
- John Eastwood,
- Iqbal Hasan,
- Bin Jalaludin,
- Lisa Karlov,
- Lisa Karlov,
- Feroza Khan,
- Jane Kohlhoff,
- S. T. Liaw,
- Raghu Lingam,
- Antonio Mendoza Diaz,
- Antonio Mendoza Diaz,
- Natalie Ong,
- Chun Wah Michael Tam,
- Chun Wah Michael Tam,
- Katy Unwin,
- Sue Woolfenden,
- Valsamma Eapen,
- Valsamma Eapen,
- Valsamma Eapen,
- Valsamma Eapen
Affiliations
- Josephine Barbaro
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, College of Science, Health & Engineering, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
- Josephine Barbaro
- Cooperative Research Centre for Living With Autism (Autism CRC), The University of Queensland, Indooroopilly, QLD, Australia
- Anne Masi
- Cooperative Research Centre for Living With Autism (Autism CRC), The University of Queensland, Indooroopilly, QLD, Australia
- Anne Masi
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Melissa Gilbert
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, College of Science, Health & Engineering, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
- Radhika Nair
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, College of Science, Health & Engineering, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
- Ifrah Abdullahi
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, College of Science, Health & Engineering, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
- Joseph Descallar
- Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
- Joseph Descallar
- South Western Sydney Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Cheryl Dissanayake
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, College of Science, Health & Engineering, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
- Cheryl Dissanayake
- Cooperative Research Centre for Living With Autism (Autism CRC), The University of Queensland, Indooroopilly, QLD, Australia
- John Eastwood
- Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
- John Eastwood
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- John Eastwood
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Women and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Iqbal Hasan
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Bin Jalaludin
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Lisa Karlov
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Lisa Karlov
- Academic Unit of Psychiatry, Infant Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Feroza Khan
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Jane Kohlhoff
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- S. T. Liaw
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Raghu Lingam
- 0Population Child Health Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Antonio Mendoza Diaz
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Antonio Mendoza Diaz
- Academic Unit of Psychiatry, Infant Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Natalie Ong
- 1Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Chun Wah Michael Tam
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Chun Wah Michael Tam
- 2Primary and Integrated Care Unit, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
- Katy Unwin
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, College of Science, Health & Engineering, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
- Sue Woolfenden
- 0Population Child Health Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Valsamma Eapen
- Cooperative Research Centre for Living With Autism (Autism CRC), The University of Queensland, Indooroopilly, QLD, Australia
- Valsamma Eapen
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Valsamma Eapen
- Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
- Valsamma Eapen
- Academic Unit of Psychiatry, Infant Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2021.640359
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 9
Abstract
Background: The early detection of developmental conditions such as autism is vital to ensure children can access appropriate and timely evidence-based supports, services, and interventions. Children who have undetected developmental conditions early in life are more likely to develop later health, developmental, learning, and behavioral issues, which in turn can have a cumulative effect over the life course.Methods: The current protocol describes a multi-site, cluster randomized control trial comparing a developmental surveillance pathway for autism to usual care, using opportunistic visits to general practitioners (GPs). Units of randomization are GP clinics across two Australian states (New South Wales and Victoria), with thirty clinics within each state, each of which will aim to recruit approximately forty children aged between ~18- and 24-months, for a total of ~2,400 participants. Children will be randomized to two clusters; namely, an autism surveillance pathway (ASP) or surveillance as usual (SaU). The screening process for the ASP arm involves primary and secondary screenings for developmental concerns for autism, using both parent and GP reports and observations. Children in both arms who show signs of developmental concerns for autism will be offered a full developmental assessment by the research team at 24 months of age to determine the efficacy of developmental surveillance in successfully identifying children with autism.Trial Registration: The trial is registered with ANZCTR (ACTRN12619001200178) and reporting of the trial results will be according to recommendations in the CONSORT Statement.
Keywords
- autism (ASD)
- developmental screening
- developmental surveillance
- toddlers
- primary care
- general practitioner
