Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT)
If you are in talks with parents who suspect their child has Autism Spectrum Disorder, give them this Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) to see if the child is showing signs of ASD.
Fact Checked by RJ Gumban.
What is the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT)?
The is a nifty Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) screening tool developed by Diana L. Robins, Deborah Fein, and Marianne Barton in 1999. It is meant to assess children between sixteen to thirty months of age to check if they have signs of ASD.
The checklist comes in the form of a questionnaire with twenty-three items revolving around a toddler’s behavior and development (walking, climbing, if they respond to the people and the world around them)! It is meant to be answered by a toddler’s parent(s) or guardian(s).
The questions that they need to answer are simple Yes or No questions. Here are some of the questions they will see on the checklist:
- Does your child enjoy being swung, bounced on your knee, etc.?
- Does your child take an interest in other children?
- Does your child like climbing on things, such as upstairs?
- Does your child enjoy playing peek-a-boo/hide-and-seek?
- Does your child ever pretend, for example, to talk on the phone or take care of dolls, or pretend other things?
- Does your child ever use his/her index finger to point, to ask for something?
- Does your child ever use his/her index finger to point, to indicate interest in something?
- Can your child play properly with small toys (e.g. cars or bricks) without just mouthing, fiddling, or dropping them?
- Does your child ever bring objects over to you (parent) to show you something?
- Does your child look you in the eye for more than a second or two?
Depending on the question, a Yes or No could mean either Pass or Fail. For every answer equivalent to a Fail, the toddler will score a point. The total score will influence what should be done next for the toddler.
Printable Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT)
Download Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) to assess young patients for ASD.
How to use the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT)
Have a toddler’s parent(s) or guardian(s) answer the questionnaire.
On the day of your appointment with the toddler’s parent(s) or guardian(s), you should issue this to them at a certain point. Whether you want them to answer on the spot or have them take it home is up to you. If the parent or guardian is fully aware of what the toddler does and what they are like, then they be able to answer the questionnaire on the spot.
If you want to be more sure about things, have them take it home so they can observe their toddler and answer the questions accordingly. This might be the better choice since you will give them the time to properly observe the child. If you are opting to have them take the checklist home, make sure to come to an agreement as to when they should submit a fully-accomplished checklist to you.
Tally the scores and determine the next course of action.
Once you receive a fully-accomplished checklist, you need to tally the scores. Despite being a Yes or No questionnaire, the point designations are not set. While the majority of the Yes answers are equal to a Pass (which is worth 0 points), there are some Yes answers that are equal to a Fail (which is worth 1 point). To help you out so you don’t have to guess, you just need to know these:
- For Questions 11, 18, 20, and 22, a Yes is equivalent to Fail, a No is equivalent to Pass
- For the rest of the questions, a Yes is equivalent to Pass, a No is equivalent to Fail
Once you have calculated the scores, check these score ranges and designations to help inform your decisions as to what should be the next step:
- 0 to 2 points = Low Risk. No follow-up interview is necessary because the child screened negative. The child can be rescreened after 3 months or after 24 months (if the child is younger than 2 years by then) if the parent or guardian wishes.
- 3 to 6 points = Moderate Risk. You need to schedule a follow-up interview with the parents to gather more information about the child. Their answers should help you determine if the toddler needs to go through a diagnostic evaluation as well as early intervention services.
- 7 points or more = High Risk. Skip the follow-up interview and have them referred for a diagnostic evaluation and early intervention services.
Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) Example
Now that you know what the checklist is all about and how to use it, here is a filled-out Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) sample.
Download this Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT)t Example (Sample) here:
Please note that the answers were made with a fictional patient in mind. This is merely for demonstrative and educational purposes. If you like what you see here and want to add this to your roster of tools, please visit the M-CHAT official website to download a copy. You may even contact the creators via their site, especially if you would like to create a modified version or use it for non-clinical, non-educational, and non-research reasons. You are going to need their permission.
When does one typically use the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT)?
The best time to use this is, well, immediately. The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) is a screening tool specifically designed to assess toddlers aged between sixteen to thirty months old. If the parents or guardians of the toddler suspect that the child is showing signs of autism, they should set up an appointment with a healthcare professional to discuss, and during that discussion, this checklist must be issued.
The end goal of the checklist is to lead to a referral for an ASD diagnostic evaluation so that care plans can be created and the ASD can be managed better by the kid and their parents/guardians. Given this, using the checklist as soon as possible is highly recommended.
The checklist also has a follow-up version (please refer to the M-CHAT official website for this particular form), which is issued if the initial score of the toddler is within the Moderate Risk range. That particular version is used to get more information from the parents before deciding if the toddler should be referred for a diagnostic examination.
Who can use the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT)?
The following healthcare professionals can use the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) for their work:
- Pediatricians, especially those who focus on developmental and behavioral problems in kids
- Family doctors
- Nurses
So long as the healthcare professional is highly trained and specializes in assessing the development of children, especially those who have Autism Spectrum Disorder and related conditions, then they may use this checklist.
It’s important that only experts use this because ASD does not just impact the child but also their parents/guardians. The goal is to make sure that the family will follow a plan that spans years in order to cope, deal with, and manage the ASD better so that the child and their parents can live without the ASD being a massive cause for concern.
Why use Carepatron for autism-related software?
If you are able to procure the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) from the M-CHAT official website or from the creators themselves, and you are looking for more tools related to treating patients with ASD, then you would like to know that using Carepatron will grant you access to a wide of guides that will introduce you to certain tools. We also have several tools for you to download for free! We’re all about helping you make your work more efficient and effective, so download as much as you want!
Using Carepatron also gives you access to our super cool and super secure storage system, which allows you to store all your clinical documentation in a HIPAA-compliant manner, plus, you get to assign who is allowed to access them besides you! You can even store fully-accomplished Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) questionnaires if you want to create digital backups for them!
Storing your files via our platform also makes them easily accessible to you wherever you are, whenever you need to, on any capable device you have (yes, including smartphones), so long as you have access to the internet. This is great, especially if you are conducting appointments outside your hospital or clinic.
Convenience. Accessibility. Security. You get all three with Carepatron.
Commonly asked questions
No. This is a screening tool, not a diagnostic tool. You are allowed to use this in order to determine if the child should be referred for a diagnostic examination.
It depends on the score range. If they are in the Moderate Risk range, then parents need to answer the follow-up version of this checklist before the professional decides on what to do. If they are in the High Risk range, then they will be referred for a diagnostic examination.
If you are a healthcare professional, try to comfort the parents and tell them that it’s good that they are having their toddler checked early so that a care plan can be developed, and the plan will help them deal with and manage the ASD well enough that it does not negatively impact the child and the parents.
Nope. This only screens kids for possible ASD. ASD may come alongside other developmental issues but other types of assessments are needed to screen for those.
