The US Preventive Services Task Force has issued a final recommendation statement on screening for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children ages 3 and younger who show no signs of the disorder.

It concludes that there is not enough evidence on the potential benefits and harms to recommend for or against this screening. USPSTF stressed that it is not recommending against screening, but rather calling for more research.

Among its findings:

• There is limited evidence on potential benefits of ASD screening in this group because most studies focus on older children.

• There is also little evidence about potential harms of screening, which can lead to anxiety for parents (though the potential harms of screening and treating children are likely low).

USPSTF emphasized that parents who have concerns about the way their young child moves, plays, talks, interacts with others, and learns should consult a physician, and recommended that providers listen and follow up appropriately.

Citation: Siu A. Screening for autism spectrum disorder in young children: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA. 2016;315(7):691-696. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.0018.