SBIR-STTR Award

Studies have shown that children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) can be detected in the first three years of life by experienced clinicians. A growing body of research indicates that if these children are recognized and provided with appropriate and intensive therapies, their long-term outcomes are improved. Genetic Lens has joined forces with a team of leading researchers in the early detection of ASD to create Autism Spectrum Disorders Risk Alert (ASDRA), a web-accessible, multi-media tool that will integrate the latest research findings with an extensive video database of the signs and common presenting features of ASD in young children, and an interactive, fully accredited training course. ASDRA will help pediatric medical practitioners understand the guiding principles of early recognition and referral for the timely initiation of appropriate services to improve the outcome of children with ASD. What makes ASDRA so unique is its ability to provide immediate and focused access to hundreds of hours of video clips that portray infants and toddlers with the risk indicators or red flags of ASD, along with comparison video of children who are developing typically or have other developmental disorders, all within the short timeframe of a patient appointment.

GeneticaLens, a multi-media video production and technology services company, has joined forces with a team of leading researchers in the early detection of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) to create the Autism Spectrum Disorders Risk Alert (ASDRA"). ASDRA" is a software system and integrated web based toolset with access to a video-intensive database, that facilitates the early assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) by assisting pediatricians in following the complex American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended guidelines for the surveillance of children three years of age and under. ASDRA" will be designed to be compatible with pediatric office EMR programs or work as a stand-alone application. At the end of Phase II ASDRA" will provide: a. A Pediatrician Parent Share Tool (PPST!) with an interactive, video- enhanced assessment tool (the IMCHAT), as well tracking devices and reminder/alert features. b. A 2-part CME course and tests to train healthcare providers on the early risk alerts of ASD as well as the referral and follow-up protocols to follow when a child if found to be at-risk; c. An online manual of video and data for ongoing use by pediatricians, families, and other interested parties.

Public Health Relevance:
New guidelines put forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics now suggest that all children should be screened for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) using a validated instrument at 18 and 24 months. There is now conclusive evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of intensive early intervention for infants and toddlers with ASD (Dawson & Osterling, 1997; National Research Council, 2001; Myers, Johnson, and the Council on Children with Disabilities, 2007). Children who are not detected at an early age cannot benefit from these early interventions, and the consequences can be life-long and devastating. ASDRA" a web-based, video-intensive software and toolset, is design to assist pediatric practices to more effectively and efficiently provide early surveillance of ASD for children 3 years of age and younger. ASDRA" will improve the accuracy and speed up the process of early identification of children at-risk for ASD so that the appropriate interventions can begin as early as possible and the outcomes of children diagnosed with ASD can be improved.

Public Health Relevance Statement:
PROJECT NARRATIVE (Public Health Relevance) New guidelines put forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics now suggest that all children should be screened for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) using a validated instrument at 18 and 24 months. There is now conclusive evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of intensive early intervention for infants and toddlers with ASD (Dawson & Osterling, 1997; National Research Council, 2001; Myers, Johnson, and the Council on Children with Disabilities, 2007). Children who are not detected at an early age cannot benefit from these early interventions, and the consequences can be life-long and devastating. ASDRA" a web-based, video-intensive software and toolset, is design to assist pediatric practices to more effectively and efficiently provide early surveillance of ASD for children 3 years of age and younger. ASDRA" will improve the accuracy and speed up the process of early identification of children at-risk for ASD so that the appropriate interventions can begin as early as possible and the outcomes of children diagnosed with ASD can be improved.

Project Terms:
0-11 years old; 3 year old; Academy; Active Follow-up; Age; Age-Years; American; Area; Autism; Autism, Early Infantile; Autism, Infantile; Autistic Disorder; Awareness; Awarenesses; Care, Health; Child; Child Youth; Childhood; Children (0-21); Children with Disabilities; Clinic; Clip; Complex; Computer Programs; Computer software; Computerized Medical Record; Data; Data Banks; Data Bases; Data Collection; Databank, Electronic; Databanks; Database, Electronic; Databases; Development; Devices; Diagnosis; Disabled Children; Early Diagnosis; Early identification; Early treatment; Education, Medical, Continuing; Effectiveness; Electronic Medical Record; Enrollment; Environment; Family; Feedback; Grant; Guidelines; HOSP; Handicapped Children; Health Care Providers; Health Personnel; Healthcare; Healthcare Providers; Healthcare worker; Hospitals; Human, Child; Infant; Infrastructure; Internet; Intervention; Intervention Strategies; Investigators; Kanner's Syndrome; Knowledge; Libraries; Life; Manuals; Medical Record, Computerized; Methods; Monitor; NIH; Narration; National Institutes of Health; National Institutes of Health (U.S.); National Research Council; National Research Council (U.S.); Office Visits; On-Line Systems; Online Systems; Outcome; Parents; Pediatrics; Phase; Private Practice; Process; Production; Programs (PT); Programs [Publication Type]; Protocol; Protocols documentation; Qualifying; Recommendation; Records; Recruitment Activity; Reporting; Research; Research Design; Research Infrastructure; Research Personnel; Research Resources; Researchers; Resources; Risk; SBIR; SBIRS (R43/44); Screening procedure; Secure; Services; Site; Small Business Innovation Research; Small Business Innovation Research Grant; Software; Speed; Speed (motion); Study Type; Survey Instrument; Surveys; System; System, LOINC Axis 4; Technology; Testing; TimeLine; Toddler; Training; United States National Institutes of Health; WWW; Work; autism spectrum disorder; base; children; clinical data repository; clinical data warehouse; computer program/software; data repository; design; designing; disease risk; disorder risk; early detection; enroll; follow-up; health care personnel; health care worker; health provider; healthcare personnel; human subject; improved; innovate; innovation; innovative; instrument; interest; interventional strategy; medical personnel; medical schools; online computer; pediatric; pediatrician; physician office visit; programs; prototype; public health relevance; recruit; relational database; screening; screenings; software systems; study design; three year old; tool; treatment provider; web; web based; world wide web; youngster