USE OF M-CHAT AND CARS TOOLS TO HELP IN THE EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF AUSTIMUS SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD)

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is understood as an early-onset disorder that affects neurodevelopment, bringing harm to the individual mainly in the areas of communication and social interaction. Some features can be used to aid diagnosis. This research sought to verify the use of the M-CHAT and CARS instruments and validate their efficiency in the early detection of ASD. A literature review was carried out through articles published between the years 2018 to 2022, which were previously selected through keywords such as: investigation, diagnosis and autism. After analyzing the publications, the main findings were presented and discussed in this work. The M-CHAT scale is an instrument that, in addition to its easy application and low cost, has good sensitivity and specificity. Despite being beneficial, it is still not known or used by many professionals. As for CARS, some authors ratify its reliability, highlighting its ability to establish degrees of commitment. On the other hand, other studies prove that the scale has some limitations. It is important to note that both screening tools should not be exclusively intended to determine the diagnosis in a patient, serving only as an auxiliary object. The use of screening instruments to detect ASD optimizes the diagnosis, therefore, constant studies on the subject are necessary.