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New team in place
to identify ASD in kids
AUTISM
spectrum disorder
(ASD) is a lifelong neurological
condition. During the crucial stages
of early development, ASD impacts
the way a child processes, organizes
and integrates information. ASD
affects communication, perception,
and the way in which a child interacts
with others and with his or her
environment. It can be a devastating
diagnosis for the child’s parents.
The earlier ASD can be properly
diagnosed, the brighter the future.
For the past year, a broad community
partnership known as the ASD Early
Identification Team (Team) has
worked to ensure that children with
ASD are identified as early as possible.
Who’s on the Team?
The Team is composed of medical
staff from the Grande Ronde Hospital
(GRH) Children’s Clinic,
education staff from
Meet the ASD Early Identification Team. Back row, from left: Joel Goldstein, LCSW, ABSNP,
school psychologist; John Evans, MS, CCC-SLP, speech language pathologist; Chelsie Evans,
RN, BSN, CaCoon program; Kevin Grayson, MD, FAAP, Certified STAT Examiner. Front row,
from left: Cindy Hamilton, RN, site coordinator, GRH Patient-Centered Primary Care Program;
Colleen Huston, MS, school psychologist and teacher; Meldy Lim, MD, FAAP, Certified STAT
Examiner; and Kelsey Collins, OHSU Parent Partner program.
the InterMountain Educational Service
District, community partners from
Oregon Health & Science University
(OHSU) and Center for Human
Development programs, the families
of the children being identified, and a
local parent—a Parent Partner—who
has raised a child with ASD.
The education staff includes
early childhood specialists, a school
psychologist and a speech-language
pathologist. The medical staff
consists of two GRH pediatricians,
a public health home visiting nurse,
local mental health professionals
and the clinic site coordinator. The
Team also includes occupational and
physical therapists.
Training for the Team
It took pediatricians Kevin Grayson,
MD, and Meldy Lim, MD, about six
months to complete STAT (Screening
Tool for Autism in Toddlers) training.
They initially traveled to OHSU for
formal training, followed by further
testing via video.
“That video testing took several
months, as it is very thorough. All
of the testing is scientifically based
and very specific to autism. It was an
intense learning process,” Dr. Lim says.
Speeding up diagnosis
The diagnosis is also a long process,
says Dr. Grayson, and involves the
entire Team. Everyone must agree
with a Team diagnosis in order for
the process to move forward.
“In the past, these children and their
families were typically referred for
testing in Portland or Boise. It would
take months, sometimes a year or
more, to get the appointment,” he says.
For those children who may
already be on an appointment
waiting list for a Child Development
and Rehabilitation Center, having
a confirmed diagnosis by a unified
local team allows them to be bumped
to the top of the list, he says.
Families get the help they need
“The main benefit for the community,
as I see it, is that this testing we do
here paves the way for these families
to get the therapies and interventions
they need,” says Dr. Grayson.
Dr. Lim agrees that before this
program—especially with no official
diagnosis—there were no local experts
and no process in place to point
parents in the right direction for help.
“Often families were thrown
from one agency to the next. Now
these parents are informed. It’s very
beneficial for them to have a formal
diagnosis and our referral to other
services and educational benefits
that will help these children reach
their potential,” says Dr. Lim.