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Abstract
Camarata (2014) provides a comprehensive summary of the current state of the research on early identification and intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Extending on the foundations provided by Camarata, this commentary discusses the value of a diagnosis of ASD and questions whether there is sufficient evidence on which to base continuing calls for early identification and ASD-specific intervention. Gaps are highlighted in the evidence base, suggestions made about how to fill those gaps, and an alternative framework is proposed for achieving best outcomes for children with early developmental problems of the type seen in ASD and their families.
Acknowledgements
We wish to thank Professor Stuart Logan, University of Exeter, for his review of the paper and editorial comments. Angela Morgan is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Career Development Award no. 607315. Amanda Brignell is supported by an Australian Postgraduate Award scholarship. We also wish to thank the William Collie Trust Fund for their financial support. Infrastructure support was provided by the Victorian Government’s Operational Infrastructure Support Program.
Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper. The second author is associate editor for the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (IJSLP); however, editorial review of this manuscript was undertaken by the editor of IJSLP, Sharynne McLeod.