$74.00 USD

99% rating - reviews

0.35  ASHA CEUs

Practical Strategies For Identifying And Assessing Infants And Toddlers With Autism Spectrum Disorder #e164


Presenter: Elizabeth Crais, PhD, CCC-SLP

Learn to identify behavioral characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder in children as young as 12-15 months.


"I liked the extensive review of identifying behaviors/red flags, and the videos to demonstrate typical and atypical child behavior and play."

– M.G., prior course participant

Read more comments about this course!

Recent evidence indicates that behavioral characteristics of ASD can be seen in some children as young as 12-15 months of age and in many by 18 months. This online course will highlight the research findings on key social communicative, sensory, and play behaviors shown to be symptomatic of ASD diagnosis. Video examples of infants and toddlers with ASD will be used to illustrate what these behaviors look like in young children. Particular emphasis will be on:

  • Early behaviors indicative of an ASD diagnosis.
  • Early screening and assessment tools and the practical issues that surround their use.
  • Working closely with families and other professionals in early identification and screening.

Offered for 0.35 ASHA CEUs – 3.5 contact hours.

The Illinois Early Intervention Training Program has approved this course for 1.5 hours of EI credential credit in the area of Assessment, 1 hour in Atypical Development, and 1 hour in Working with Families (3.5 Total).

Course Overview – Run Time: 3:46:68

  • Identify symptoms of ASD in infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
  • Choose appropriate tools for screening for ASD and assessing communication and play skills in young children with ASD.
  • Describe strategies for collaborating with parents and other professionals in screening and assessing this population.
"I appreciated all the strategies about actually discussing the results with parents. This is not a typically discussed topic, and the presenter had many excellent suggestions."

– S.D., prior course participant

Read more comments about this course!

The content of this online CE course does not focus exclusively on any specific proprietary product or service. Presenter financial and non-financial disclosures may be found in the Presenter & Disclosures area.

Video PowerPoint presentation with author narration & downloadable handout. Stop and re-start the course at any point. Learners retain access to course content after completion for ongoing reference and review.

Reviews

"All topics were most beneficial to me. Information was current and clearly presented, and the instructor was highly knowledgeable. Gave specific examples and great video examples." S.T. (Feb. 2024)

"The screening and parent questionnaires were beneficial. I liked the overall thorough review of signs and characteristics of autism at the toddler level." D.K. (Dec. 2023)

"Discussing the types of repetitive behavior during play and what children with ASD lack or have the most difficulty with regarding play was beneficial. I liked all the examples/videos provided and then talking about seeing examples." G.A. (Nov. 2023)

"This course gave a comprehensive overview of signs of autism in young children and the screening tools available to screen for ASD." K.P. (Nov. 2023)

"Identifying and understanding 'red flags' that may be associated with ASD was beneficial." K.M. (Aug. 2023)

"This was a good overview of Autism and provided good reminders about helping parents as they learn about the diagnosis. The presentation was very clear and concise." C.A. (Jul. 2023)

"I liked the explanation of the screening and evaluating tools available." E.D. (Jul. 2023)

"The inclusion of contrastive videos to help differentiate typical versus atypical behavior was useful. This course offered helpful guidance regarding sensitively sharing assessment results with parents along with ways to optimize their involvement during family conferences." A.M. (Jul. 2023)

"The content was excellent! Very well organized and easy to follow and understand! Learning signs to look for that would signify possible ASD and the screeners used. These screeners, although I have heard about them, I did not know much about them, so it was nice to get more information." B.L. (Jul. 2023)

"I liked review of the screening instruments as well as strategies to help families understand, process, and ultimately accept diagnosis. As well as confidence in structuring observations of communication/behaviors/sensory as early signs of autism. I liked the videos and specific examples." L.H. (Jun. 2023)

"Screening and Assessment Tools were beneficial." L.G. (Jun. 2023)

"Conveyed information so that parents can understand it and their next steps. Course information was easy to follow and understand." L.S. (Mar. 2023)

"I liked the assessment tools and video comparisons." P.Z. (Feb. 2023)

"Learning about different screenings was beneficial. I liked that course was at my own pace." L.R. (Feb. 2023)

"Learning several characteristics and helping identifiers of children that may be on the spectrum." K.G. (Feb. 2023)

"Screening information was beneficial. A lot of information was shared in a concise and understandable manner." S.R. (Feb. 2023)

"Identification and use of standardized assessment to help identify the youngest children who may have ASD. I liked the videos that compared both the typical and atypical behaviors." M.I. (Jan. 2023)

"Clear and concise information. I was surprised at the lower diagnosis rate than I had heard of recently...and the average age that ASD was diagnosed." P.C. (Jan. 2023)

"Screeners and MCHAT information was beneficial." A.F. (Jan. 2023)

"I liked the screening and assessment section. Great course - very informative." M.S. (Jan. 2023)

"Learning diagnosis and symptoms of ASD in babies. I liked how practical and useful the content was as I work with Early Intervention babies." M.R. (Jan. 2023)

"Videos and descriptions of characteristics at specific ages were beneficial. Chock full of research based information and practical examples of typical and atypical behaviors. Both the explanations and video clips were helpful." M.S. (Jan. 2023)

"Strategies on how to talk to parents and families about their children's skills. I liked the videos and the explanations/descriptions of what was happening in the videos." L.H. (Dec. 2022)

"How to identify behaviors present in children with ASD. Course organization was great. Great videos and examples." F.B. (Dec. 2022)

"Learning about the risk factors for ASD was most beneficial. I enjoyed the videos." F.C. (Dec. 2022)

"Observation of normal behavior. This course was concise." D.R. (Dec. 2022)

"Strategies to use during a family conference following screening tests. I liked the videos presented." H.B. (Dec. 2022)

"How to discuss screening results with parents. Very well organized and captivating." M.H. (Dec. 2022)

"The information about consonant use was new to me. Engaging and knowledgeable presenter with an organized presentation." E.S. (Dec. 2022)

"The speaker was easy to listen to and engaging. The discussion of evaluations was helpful." J.W. (Nov. 2022)

"I liked the extensive review of identifying behaviors/red flags, and the videos to demonstrate typical and atypical child behavior and play." M.G. (Nov. 2022)

"Seeing play behaviors in children with ASD - lots of videos demonstrating typical behaviors, as well as behaviors seen in children with ASD." S.L. (Oct. 2022)

"I found the signs and symptoms of autism in infants and toddlers to be helpful along with suggestions on how to deliver the information to parents and how to get them involved." S.K. (Oct. 2022)

"Dr. Crais was very easy to listen to and she provided engaging content that was applicable." S.K. (Oct. 2022)

"I liked the videos. The whole course was beneficial for my practice." D.F. (Oct. 2022)

"The review of symptoms - what to look for with very young children who possibly have ASD. Good reminders about what to say to parents." A.G. (Sept. 2022)

"I would recommend this course." E.M. (Aug. 2022)

"I liked the do's and don'ts of communicating with parents. Also, the videos were very helpful." A.P. (July 2022)

"Truly, all of it was pertinent information. I liked the presenter's knowledge base." C.H. (July 2022)

"Course was organized well. I liked the new screening tools." D.G. (June 2022)

"Good information on prevalence and testing. I liked the flow of presentation." N.F. (June 2022)

"The video examples were interesting and illustrated the presenter's points well." R.P. (June 2022)

"Learning early signs / red flags to look for in babies/toddlers was beneficial." K.K. (May 2022)

"I learned so much from this course. To be able to focus on early signs of ASD will be beneficial for my practice." A.M. (Apr. 2022)

"Lots of practical tips, videos, and time to process information with examples. And learning how to talk to parents with children who present with these red flags, and screening/assessment tools used." M.M. (Mar. 2022)

"I liked the diagnostic indicators – videos were helpful." S.E. (Feb. 2022)

"I liked the new data on assessing children with red flags for Autism, and the flexibility of an online course." D.J. (Jan. 2022)

"I liked the summary of different screeners and learning the strengths of different screeners – the videos were very helpful." J.F. (Dec. 2021)

"Learning to identify early red flags for ASD. The presenter had an excellent command of the subject matter and she explained the content clearly. The videos were excellent." M.E. (Dec. 2021)

"The resources that were provided will also be extremely beneficial for my daily practice. Comparison of typical vs. atypical behaviors, presented in multiple formats. Seeing video examples of various children demonstrating "Red Flags" as well as typically developing children." S.R. (Dec. 2021)

"Very informative with red flags and how to interact with parents with initial dx of ASD." B.F. (Dec. 2021)

"A good refresher of the different assessment batteries and screeners available. I enjoyed the presenter's style and overall format, and the supplemental videos were helpful." A.C. (Dec. 2021)

"I found the updated data surrounding prevalence as well as the detail on the screeners available to be helpful. It included several videos that were good to visually see what was being explained." S.B. (Nov. 2021)

"The thoroughness of course was great. Specific examples of what would constitute joint attention, symbolic play, repetitive behaviors with objects, etc." M.P. (Nov. 2021)

"I liked the detailed descriptions to identify symptoms." P.J. (Oct. 2021)

"The course was very informative and formatted well." M.G. (Oct. 2021)

"Very practical and thorough course." M.N. (Oct. 2021)

"The videos were a great addition to the presentation. Learning what the key features of autism are in infants and toddlers and being able to list examples was good." N.R. (Sept. 2021)

"The entire course was very informative. I enjoyed the descriptive nature of characteristics and video examples." M.H. (May 2021)

“I loved the videos! It helped the discussion come together and was very functional. I am a newer SLP and trying to build on my skills for assessing and discussing autism with parents of young toddlers who are suspecting something but not autism. I feel much more confident in my ability to feel confident in what I am observing and LOVED the tools to support what we are seeing. I liked how Dr. Crais discussed how to bring concerns to families in a way that will be supportive but informative.” D.D. (Apr. 2021)

“I liked the breakdown between social interaction/communication and repetitive behaviors, and the different subcategories under each grouping.” D.O. (Feb. 2021)

“I thoroughly enjoyed the videos with specifics examples.” K.N. (Feb. 2021)

"The different screening and assessment tools will definitely help me with my practice. The videos and resources were very helpful and informative! As well as updated studies and results." S.M. (Jan. 2021)

"All of the characteristics clearly described were helpful, as well as how to discuss information with caregivers. I appreciated all the strategies about actually discussing the results with parents. This is not a typically discussed topic, and the presenter had many excellent suggestions." S.D. (Jan. 2021)

Course Objectives

  1. Identify symptoms of ASD in infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
  2. Choose appropriate tools for screening for ASD and assessing communication and play skills in young children with ASD.
  3. Describe strategies for collaborating with parents and other professionals in screening and assessing this population.

Northern Speech Services is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. Course approval #25673. This eCourse is offered at 0.35 CEUs, educational level Intermediate, OT Process: Evaluation: analysis of occupational performance; Intervention: Develop intervention plan & approaches. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.

Presenter & Disclosures

Elizabeth Crais, PhD, CCC-SLP, is Professor and Coordinator of Ph.D. Studies in the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences (DSHS) of the Department of Allied Health Sciences (AHS) in the UNC-CH Medical School. She has 40 years of experience in working with children and youth with disabilities. Her research interests include ASD identification and intervention, personnel preparation, and implementation of family-centered practices.  She has served as a Principal Investigator or Investigator on four IES grants and one Autism Speaks grant, all focused in the area of ASD. She and colleagues have developed both home-based parent-mediated and preschool-based interventions for children with ASD. She has been the Project Director or Co-Director on several Department of Education-funded personnel preparation projects at both the M.S. and Ph.D. levels, some of which focused on children with ASD. Dr. Crais is the parent of a youth with intellectual disabilities.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial — Elizabeth Crais is a presenter of an online CE course sponsored by Northern Speech Services; receives royalty payments. 

Nonfinancial — Elizabeth Crais has no relevant nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Intended Audience / Accreditation

asha ce approved provider

This program is offered for 0.35 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate Level; Professional Area).

Intended Audience

  • Speech-Language Pathologists
  • OT

ASHA CEUs: NSS online courses are registered with ASHA and are offered for ASHA CEUs. The number of ASHA CEUs is noted above. Note that 0.1 ASHA CEU = 1 contact hour = equals 1 CEE.

ASHA CE Registry: During the enrollment process, if you select to receive ASHA credit for this course and if you provide your ASHA number, NSS will automatically submit your CEU information to the ASHA CE Registry after successful course completion (80% on post test). This submission happens once per month, during the first week of the month. For example, if you complete your course on November 7th, NSS will submit all November online course CEUs to ASHA during the first week of December. When ASHA inputs the information into their database, they will mark the course as completed on the last day of the month in which it was completed, so November 30th using this example. The certificate of completion available for you to print immediately, however, will reflect the actual completion date, November 7th in this example. Due to ASHA processing procedures please allow 2-3 weeks, from the submission date, for the course to appear on your ASHA transcript.

ASHA CEUs: Attendees must meet at least one of the following conditions in order to be eligible to earn ASHA CEUs:

  • Current ASHA Member
  • ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) Holder
  • Licensed by a state or provincial regulatory agency to practice speech-language pathology (SLP) or audiology
  • Credentialed by a state regulatory agency to practice SLP or audiology
  • Credentialed by a national regulatory agency to practice SLP or audiology
  • Engaged in a Clinical Fellowship under the supervision of an individual with their ASHA CCC
  • Currently enrolled in a masters or doctoral program in SLP or audiology

If an attendee is not an ASHA member or CCC holder but meets any of the above criteria, they may inform the ASHA CE Registry of their eligibility by visiting this site.

Licensing Boards: Most state licensing boards DO accept CEUs earned online (usually classified as home-study credits). Some state boards do, however, place a limit to the number of credits that can be earned via home study/online courses. For the most current information, we suggest that you contact your licensing board or agency to verify acceptance policies and/or any credit limits related to home-study courses prior to registering for this course.

Additional accrediting agencies by which Northern Speech is an approved CE provider:

  • California: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the California Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology Board. Provider #PDP4. Online CEU limits may apply; please contact SLPAHADB for current online CEU acceptance policies.
  • Iowa: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Iowa Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology Examiners. Provider #169.
  • Kansas: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Provider #LTS-S0005.
  • Florida: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Florida Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board. Provider #SPA-026.
  • New Jersey: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the New Jersey Department of Education. Provider #1654.

Frequently Asked Questions



Customer Support: Please phone 888.337.3866 or email info@northernspeech.com.

Course Completion Timeframe:

You have unlimited time to complete our online courses. You may log off and log on as often as you’d like to in order to complete all sections of a course.

However, completion dates are based on Eastern Standard Time. Therefore, if you need your CEUs by a certain date, be sure to complete the course test before 11:59pm EST on that date. For example, if you need CEUs before January 1st, you will need to complete the course test before 11:59pm EST on December 31st.

Content Access:

Access to course materials and content does not expire, even after completing the post test. You may continue to review course material by logging into your NSS account, clicking the My Online Courses tab, and then viewing your desired course.

Certificate of Completion:

On successful completion of the post test (80%), a certificate will be immediately available for download and/or printing. This certificate will include your name, date of completion (based on Eastern Time Zone, USA/Canada), and number of contact hours (CEUs / CEEs). Please note that CEUs are awarded on the date of successful test completion, not the date of course enrollment. Please ensure that you successfully complete the post test prior to any licensure renewal dates.

ASHA CE Registry Submission:

During the enrollment process, if you select to receive ASHA credit for this course and if you provide your ASHA number, NSS will automatically submit your CEU information to the ASHA CE Registry after successful course completion (80% on post test). This submission happens once per month, during the first week of the month. For example, if you complete your course on November 7th, NSS will submit all November online course CEUs to ASHA during the first week of December. When ASHA inputs the information into their database, they will mark the course as completed on the last day of the month in which it was completed, so November 30th using this example. The certificate of completion available for you to print immediately, however, will reflect the actual completion date, November 7th in this example. Due to ASHA processing procedures please allow 2-3 weeks, from the submission date, for the course to appear on your ASHA transcript.

Purchase Orders:

Purchase orders are currently not accepted for online orders, if you wish to submit a purchase order please do so at info@northernspeech.com or fax to 888-696-9655.

What is an Online Course?

Our Online Courses consist of video, audio, and/or text content and are offered for ASHA CEUs. Unlike a webinar, which requires participants to be logged on and at a computer at specific times, our Online Courses are available to you at any time, from any device, via your NorthernSpeech.com online account. You may work at your own pace and start and stop your course as you wish. Your course will conclude with a short post test. On successful completion of the post test (>80%), a printable certificate of completion is presented to you.

Receiving CEUs:

Northern Speech is an ASHA CE Provider and our online courses are registered with ASHA and offered for ASHA CEUs. Please note that successful completion of the online post test is required prior to the awarding of CEUs. Please contact your state licensing board for acceptance policies related to CEUs earned online. Please note that courses offered for university students are not applicable for CEUs.

Registering for an online course:

You may browse all online courses by clicking the Continuing Education tab above, then Online Courses. Once you find a course, click Enroll Now, and you will be asked to either log into your existing Northern Speech account or create a new online account. Once you’ve entered your account information and provided your credit card payment, your course will be immediately available to you.

Accessing your purchased course or returning to a purchased course:

You will be able to access your online course by logging into your Northern Speech account and then clicking the My Online Courses tab on your profile screen. Click the course you would like to start or to resume. From there, proceed through the course sections until you are ready to complete the post test. You do not have to complete your course all at once. You may log on and off as you wish.

Testing requirements:

Each online course concludes with a post test consisting of multiple choice or true & false questions. Scores of 80% or greater are required for successful course completion and awarding of CEUs. You may revisit course materials and retest as needed to achieve a passing score.

Number of CEUs offered:

We offer courses from 1 to 21 contact hours. Each course will note the number of CEUs offered. Please note that 0.1 CEU = 1 contact hour = 1 CEE.

State licensing boards and online CEUs:

NSS is an ASHA CE Provider and most state licensing boards DO accept ASHA CEUs earned online (usually classified as home-study credits). Some boards do, however, place a limit to the number of CEUs that can be earned via home study/online courses. For the most current information, we suggest that you contact your licensing board or agency to verify acceptance policies and/or any CEU limits related to home-study courses prior to enrolling in an online course.

Course formats:

Our course formats include: text, audio, video, and PowerPoint with author narration. Each course will note the format on the course description page. Most courses include closed captioning.

Course handouts:

Most of our online courses provide a link to download the accompanying handout as a PDF file. 

Group discounts:

Groups of 3 or more are eligible for a 20% discount on each registration on most of our online courses. To receive this discount, registrations need to be processed together via the "Group Rates" tab on the Online Course of your choice.

Computer requirements:

For our online courses to function best, we recommend that you update your computer to include the newest version of your Internet browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Internet Explorer, etc.) and newest version of your computer's operating system. Also a high-speed Internet connection is recommended (cable or DSL). Speakers or headphones will be required for many of our courses as many contain audio components.

Course Cancellation Policy:

A purchased online course can be exchanged, refunded, or transferred to another individual if contact is made with NSS (via phone or email) within 30 days of purchase and the course materials have not been viewed or downloaded. 

Special Needs:

Please click here for any special needs requests, and we will do our best to accommodate them. 

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