SACS-R is an early screening tool useful for the early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder created by a team of experts from Trobe Universityin Australia. The new tool, in addition to Australia, is already in operation in 10 other countries around the world and has proven more effective in diagnosing the condition than traditional methods.
Tested for 5 years, it study was published in the scientific journal JAMA Network Open.
SACS-R: an effective aid in the early diagnosis of ASD
The five-year research involved over 13,500 Victorian children, showing that the SACS-R is extremely accurate in identifying very young children with autism spectrum disorder.. Of the infants and children aged 12-24 months reported by the new tool, 83% of them were subsequently diagnosed with autism.
When used in conjunction with a SACS-Preschool control, 96% of children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder by 3.5 years of age. The principal investigator, the associate professor Josephine BarbaroofOlga Tennison Autism Research Center (OTARC) of La Trobe University, stated that: “Research indicates the critical need for SACS-R and SACS-Preschool to be implemented across Australia and around the world, as part of regular child health checks. “
“Parents are often told to “wait and see” when they raise concerns about their child’s development. This means that the average age of diagnosis is around four to five years and early support opportunities have been missed“Said Associate Professor Barbaro.
“Putting this highly effective tool in the hands of a qualified healthcare professional, so that they are also screened for autism during routine health checkups, makes a huge difference to early detection. “continued Barbaro.
“Not only is SACS-R the most effective screening tool in the world, unlike many others it can be used within the community on large populations, allowing for the early identification of very young children across the board “, the expert specified.
Every Victorian child who participates in a routine health check at 12, 18 and 24 months is already screened using the SACS-R tool, after the Victorian government funded state-level training for maternal health nurses and infant in 2019.
The SACS-Preschool add-on tool can be used during the 3.5-year health check to increase the effectiveness of the identification process, although training for this is not currently funded in Victoria.
The Vice-Chancellor of La Trobe, Professor John Dewar AO said the screening tool is an excellent example of high-impact research that can make a tangible difference in people’s lives.
“Early identification of autism using this tool has already changed the lives of thousands of children and their families around the world “said Professor Dewar.
“A stunning contribution from La Trobe autism experts, this new research is likely to lead to even more countries adopting the tool and incorporating screening programs into their health systems.“.
Early detection of autism is critical, as it leads to early access to supports, services and therapies. It improves developmental outcomes, increases participation in mainstream education, and reduces the supports required as children grow up.
The Social Attention and Communication Surveillance-Revised (SACS-R) and SACS-Preschool (SACS-PR) tools were tested using funds from the Autism CRC and the Menzies Foundation.
Developed over 15 years by Associate Professor Barbaro, the tool is used to identify a set of behaviors that are characteristic of ASD children starting at 11 months of age, including the rare or inconsistent use of:
Gestures, such as greeting and pointing to objects;
Response to the called name;
Eye contact;
Imitate or copy the activities of others;
Sharing interests with others;
Pretend to play.
SACS-R is now used statewide in Victoria and Tasmania, and training has been completed in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia.
Healthcare professionals from ten other countries around the world, including China, Singapore, Poland, Japan, New Zealand, Nepal and Bangladesh, have also been trained in using the tool.
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