In December 2019, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated their recommendations for the screening of autism for the first time since 2007. Here is a brief summary of the new guidelines issued by the AAP.

·       All children should be screened for symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at all visits.

·       Developmental and behavioral screenings should be performed at the 9-month, 18-month, and 30-month visits.

·       Standardized autism-specific screening tests should be performed at 18 and 24 months of age.

One of the primary reasons for the change is that children with ASD can be identified as young as toddlers. As with many conditions, early intervention is crucial and can influence outcomes.

PAR is proud to publish an instrument that can help clinicians adhere to these new guidelines. The PDD Behavior Inventory™ Screening Edition (PDDBI-SV) can be used to screen children at risk for autism spectrum disorder as young as 18 months. It can be administered in 10 minutes or less, letting you know quickly if the child is at risk.

If further evaluation is warranted, PAR’s PDDBI and the PDDBI ASD Decision Tree can also be used with children as young as 18 months of age.

The PDDBI family of products is growing! Free interactive training on how to use PDDBI products is now available on the PAR Training Portal. Whether you are a long-time user and want a greater understanding of the product or are considering purchasing for the first time, this course will give you greater insight into the assessment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the decisions made when developing the PDDBI, and how the different components work together. The PAR Training Portal is a free, on-demand resource available 24/7. Visit partrainingportal.com today!

 

In addition, we are pleased to announce the release of the PDDBI Parent Form in Spanish! In addition to the Spanish form, we are releasing a white paper by Amy Kovacs Giella that explains the translation process. According the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 13% of the U.S. population primarily speaks Spanish at home. With autism diagnoses steadily rising, identification of Spanish-speaking individuals who may be at risk is vitally important. With the introduction of the PDDBI Parent Form in Spanish, this significant portion of the population can now benefit from the PDD Behavior Inventory product family for detection, diagnosis, and progress monitoring.

PAR is proud to announce we have added a white paper on how to use the Autism Spectrum Disorder Decision Tree with the PDD Behavior Inventory to our website. This supplemental resource will help readers use the products for screening and intervention planning.

Customers can find the new white paper under the Resources tab on the PDDBI page or via this direct link.

The PDDBI: Autism Spectrum Disorder Decision Tree (ASD-DT) can help clinicians navigate the challenging path of a possible autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Using scores from the PDDBI Extended Form, the ASD-DT can help identify an ASD subgroup or a non-ASD diagnosis. The ASD-DT and the PDDBI provide a standardized measure to help clinicians work through many possibilities to provide precise intervention recommendations.

 

Whether you need to screen, diagnose, or track individuals on the autism spectrum, the PDD Behavior Inventory™ (PDDBI™) family of products has what you need. The original PDDBI was developed to assess both problem behaviors as well as appropriate social, language, and learning/memory skills. The two newest supplements to the product line expand its use, making it even easier to diagnose, track, and assess autism spectrum disorder.

Now available! The PDDBI Professional Manual Supplement: Autism Spectrum Decision Tree (ASD-DT)

The ASD-DT is designed to enhance the diagnostic power of the PDDBI. Once a parent or teacher has completed the Extended Form, the ASD-DT allows you to use those scores to complete the branches of a decision tree that ultimately results in a diagnostic category. An algorithm is used to transform PDDBI scores into subgroups of ASD (Atypical ASD, Minimally Verbal ASD, or Verbal ASD) as well as non-ASD subgroups. Intervention suggestions and further recommendations are provided for all subgroups. The ASD-DT is designed to be used with individuals ages 1:6 to 12:5 years.

Now available! The PDDBI Professional Manual Supplement: Adolescent Normative Data

This new supplement extends the age range of the PDDBI normative data to age 18:5 years. Ideal for use when monitoring progress over time, this extension to the normative data can be used with both parent and teacher ratings on the PDDBI. The standardization sample includes individuals from a range of racial and ethnic backgrounds and geographic regions. The adolescent normative data are appropriate for use when either the standard or extended items are administered.

Whether you are a PDDBI user who wants to expand its use in your practice or are new the PDDBI family of products, visit www.parinc.com today to order the materials you need!

 

Ira L. Cohen and colleagues from the New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities presented their research on video tracking as a valuable way to study autism spectrum disorders (ASD) at last month’s International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR).

Using EthoVision XT, a video tracking software that analyzes behavior, movement, and activity, the team examined correlations between data from various ASD rating scales (including the PDD Behavior Inventory™ [PDDBI™]), and information gathered through video tracking. Researchers studied 31 children between the ages of 2 and 14 in a large room with toys on the floor and on a table. Twenty-two of the children in the study were diagnosed with an ASD. The child’s parent was seated in the corner of the room during the free play time. Data was collected on mean distance from the parent, mean time spent in different zones in the room, path complexity, and other factors.

Researchers were able to draw correlations between the tracking data and the results on the rating scales, finding that the tracking data could be used as a predictor of the scores on the rating scales. Results from this study may be a basis for creating new objective methods of assessing children with ASD as well as measuring the results of intervention.

PAR author Ira L. Cohen, PhD, will be presenting at the 15th European Conference on Developmental Psychology in Bergen, Norway. The conference is being held from August 23-27, 2011.

Dr. Cohen’s will be presenting a poster titled, “Arousal-Modulated Fixation on Flashing Light Patterns in At-Risk Four-Month-Old Infants is Associated with Autism Severity Scores in Childhood.”

Dr. Cohen is the author of the PDD Behavior Inventory™ (PDDBI™) and the PDD Behavior Inventory™−Screening Version (PDDBI™-SV).

For more information about the 15th European Conference on Developmental Psychology, click here.

PAR author Ira L. Cohen, PhD, will be presenting during the Association for Psychological Science (APS) Annual Convention in Washington, DC taking place from May 26 through May 29, 2011.

Dr. Cohen’s poster presentation, “Arousal-Modulated Fixation on Flashing Light Patterns in At-Risk Four-Month-Old Infants is Associated with Autism Severity Scores in Childhood,” is scheduled to take place on Thursday, May 26, 2011, from 8 to 9 p.m. in Columbia Hall at the Washington Hilton.

Dr. Cohen is the author of the PDD Behavior Inventory™ (PDDBI™) and the PDD Behavior Inventory™−Screening Version (PDDBI™-SV).

For more information about the APS Annual Convention, click here.

 

Ira L. Cohen, PhD, author of the PDD Behavior Inventory™ (PDDBI™) and the PDD Behavior Inventory™: Screening Version (PDDBI™-SV), which will be released next month, will be giving a poster presentation at the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) hosted by the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR).

Dr. Cohen’s presentation, “Reliability and Validity of the PDD Behavior Inventory-Screening Version (PDDBI-SV) Scoring System,” will discuss the software portfolio that accompanies his new product.

IMFAR 2011 will be held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, California from May 12-14, 2011. For more information about IMFAR 2011, visit www.autism-insar.org.