Toddlers screening for autism in Babil province Iraq

Abstract EN

Autism is a brain developmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior.

The aim of present study was to screen for autism among toddlers attending primary health care centers using Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, (1999 Diana Robins, Deborah Fein, and Marianne Barton M-CHAT Questionnaire) and telephone interview.

Methods : One thousand three hundreds seventy toddlers attending primary health care centers in Babil province / Iraq were screened for autism using Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, 110 of them failed and reviewed within 1-3 months using follow up telephone interview, 74 of them were failed again, who considered at high risk for autistic spectrum disorders.

The toddlers who don’t need follow up (group 1) include those who passed initial Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (1260) and those who passed follow up interview (36).

Toddlers who need follow up (group 2) include those failed at the 2 times (74).

All the data studied were scored and analyzed by statistical package for the social sciences SPSS (version 15), descriptive t-tests and Chi-square (X2) test.

Results : Of the 1370 toddlers, who were screened by Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers and follow up telephone interview, only 74 (5.4 %) toddlers had risk for autism and positive predictive value was 67.2 %.

All variables studied in our research show significant difference between group 1 and 2 except mother education and residence.

For group 2, all variables show significant values except mother education.

Conclusions : Autism is not rare (5.4 %).

Males affected more commonly than females.

Risk of autism increased with increased maternal age.

Family History of autism, parent separation and preterm delivery play a role in autism.