The American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation that all children be screened for autism at 18 and 24 months has not been widely adopted by the medical community. Early intervention (EI) providers who work with high-risk children through Part C of IDEA and can serve as an initial point of contact in detecting those at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet, EI providers have varied training backgrounds that affect their views regarding autism. The ASD Knowledge and Attitudes Survey (ASK-Q) was administered to EI providers prior to and following an ASD-specific training. Participants' responses to the ASK-Q were analyzed to determine if participants' knowledge of ASD improved following the workshop. Results indicated that the professionals' overall knowledge of autism improved after attending the training. This supports the literature recommending that EI providers be trained in conducting ASD-specific screenings to assist with the early identification of autism.

Published in: London International Conference on Education (LICE-2020)

• Date of Conference: 23-25 November 2020
• DOI: 10.2053/LICE.2020.0017
• ISBN: 978-1-913572-22-8
• Conference Location: London, UK