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Objective: The purpose of the current study was to explore provider perspectives on the strengths and challenges of telehealth services (e.g., behavioral interventions, physical, speech, and occupational therapy, medication management) for children with autism spectrum disorder during coronavirus disease 2019 related shutdowns., Methods: From September 2020 to May 2021, we conducted qualitative interviews with 35 providers across multiple disciplines from 17 sites in the Autism Care Network. Qualitative data were analyzed using a framework approach and common themes were identified., Results: Providers across clinical disciplines identified strengths of the virtual model, such as its flexibility and the opportunity it provided to see children in their home environment. They also indicated that some interventions worked better virtually than others, and that there were several factors that impacted their success. Respondents were generally satisfied providing parent-mediated interventions but expressed mixed satisfaction in using telehealth for direct-to-patient care., Conclusions: Results suggest that telehealth services for children with autism spectrum disorder could be a helpful tool in decreasing barriers and improving service delivery, especially when tailored to the individual needs of the patient. More research is needed on the factors contributing to its success in order to eventually inform clinical guidelines regarding the prioritization of children seen for in-person visits., (Copyright © 2023 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study provided preliminary validation of the Autism Detection in Early Childhood-Virtual (ADEC-V) for telehealth assessment of possible autism. Participants were 121 children (24.79% female) aged 18-47 months who completed telehealth evaluations at a large pediatric hospital in the Midwestern United States between October 2020 and February 2021. The ADEC-V showed good sensitivity (0.82) and specificity (0.78) and was significantly correlated with other ASD symptom measures (i.e., CARS-2, ADI-R). Internal consistency was acceptable (α = 0.77). These results need replication in a larger and broader sample including more children without ASD. This preliminary validation study identifies the ADEC-V as a promising measure for telehealth ASD assessments in young children., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

This study examined clinician insights into telehealth assessment services for autism spectrum disorder implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. 35 clinicians from multiple disciplines across 17 sites in the Autism Care Network were interviewed. Themes identified through qualitative analyses included factors related to confidence in diagnosis (impressions of in-home observation; child and family factors that affected diagnostic confidence; changes in rapport); patient and family factors related to telehealth (perceived family benefits of and barriers to telehealth; factors related to healthcare disparities; factors specific to non-native English speakers); and institutional and workplace factors related to transitioning to telehealth (institutional support; changes to efficacy, attendance, and work satisfaction). Results suggest that telehealth has potential to be an effective tool in autism assessment practice., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)