Accuracy in Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children with Down Syndrome

There is a high variance in prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder in individuals with Down syndrome because of the absence in accurate screening measures for this specific population. Many professionals mistake a child’s deficits in social, language, linguistic, and adaptive skills as symptoms of an intellectual disability, which is a common characteristic found in individuals with DS, rather than as characteristics of co-occurring ASD. Due to this, appropriate interventions may be hindered or the child may be placed in an inappropriate educational placement, which could lead parents and/or caregivers to unnecessary hardship.https://griffinshare.fontbonne.edu/slp-posters/1000/thumbnail.jp