Abstract
Young children (n = 7526) assessed within a statewide early intervention program between 2008 and 2015 were screened for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits- Part 1 (BISCUIT- Part 1). The relationship between premature birth, birth weight, and ASD screening outcome was examined using bivariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression analyses (adjusted for child’s gender, ethnicity, age at screening, and developmental delays). Results indicated that birth weight was a stronger predictor of screening outcome than premature birth, with very low birth weight (<1500 g) significantly reducing the odds of a positive ASD screen by approximately 50%. Delays in the developmental domains of Personal-Social and Communication were the strongest predictors of a positive ASD screen, increasing the odds by more than three times.
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The use of data from EarlySteps for research purposes has been approved by both the Louisiana State University Institutional Review Board and the State of Louisiana’s Department of Health and Hospitals Institutional Review Board. All procedures were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Personal identifiers of EarlySteps participants, including name and date of birth, were removed from the database by the State of Louisiana’s Department of Health and Hospitals before analysis.
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Deann Matson, Dr. Johnny Matson’s wife, is the sole owner of the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtism Traits (BISCUIT) and sells the scale.
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Matheis, M., Matson, J.L. & Burns, C.O. Premature Birth, Low Birth Weight, and Positive Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder in an Early Intervention Sample. J Dev Phys Disabil 30, 689–705 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-018-9613-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-018-9613-1