Toddlers at risk for Autism Spectrum Disorders from Kerala, India – A community based screening

Aims To study the at-risk rate for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) on a parent-report questionnaire in toddlers between the ages of 16–24 months. Materials and methods 6237 toddlers from Kerala, India selected by cluster random sampling were surveyed by community nurses using the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers − Revised (M-CHAT-R) translated to Malayalam and culturally adapted. Results 5.5% toddlers were at risk on M-CHAT-R and 2.7% on “Best Seven”. Conclusions M-CHAT-R and its “Best Seven” could be viable community level screening instruments, albeit with further cultural adaptation for a primarily non-English speaking population in India.