Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT)

Question 1 / 25

Does your child look at you when you call his/her name?

Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never

How easy is it for you to get eye contact with your child?

Very Easy
Quite Easy
Quite Difficult
Very Difficult
Impossible

When your child is playing alone, does s/he line objects up?

Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never

Can other people easily understand your child’s speech?

Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
My child does not speak

Does your child point to indicate that s/he wants something (e.g. a toy that is out of reach)?

Many times a day
A few times a day
A few times a week
Less than once a week
Never

Does your child point to share interest with you (e.g. pointing at an interesting sight)?

Many times a day
A few times a day
A few times a week
Less than once a week
Never

How long can your child’s interest be maintained by a spinning object (e.g. washing machine, electric fan, toy car wheels)?

Several Hours
Half an hour
Ten minutes
A couple of minutes
Less than a minute

How many words can your child say?

None — s/he has not started speaking yet
Less than 10 words
10 — 50 words
51 — 100 words
Over 100 words

Does your child pretend (egg care for dolls, talk on a toy phone)?

Many times a day
A few times a day
A few times a week
Less than once a week
Never

Does your child follow where you’re looking?

Many times a day
A few times a day
A few times a week
Less than once a week
Never

How often does your child sniff or lick unusual objects?

Many times a day
A few times a day
A few times a week
Less than once a week
Never

Does your child place your hand on an object when s/he wants you to use it (e.g. on a door handle when s/he wants you to open the door, on a toy when s/he wants you to activate it)?

Many times a day
A few times a day
A few times a week
Less than once a week
Never

Does your child walk on tiptoe?

Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never

How easy is it for your child to adapt when his/her routine changes or when things are out of their usual place?

Very easy
Quite easy
Quite Difficult
Very Difficult
Impossible

If you or someone else in the family is visibly upset, does your child show signs of wanting to comfort them (e.g. stroking their hair, hugging them)?

Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never

Does your child do the same thing over and over again (e.g. running the tap, turning the light switch on and off, opening and closing doors)?

Many times a day
A few times a day
A few times a week
Less than once a week
Never

Would you describe your child’s first words as:

Very typical
Quite typical
Slightly unusual
Very unusual
My child doesn't speak

Does your child echo things s/he hears (e.g. things that you say, lines from songs or movies, sounds)?

Many times a day
A few times a day
A few times a week
Less than once a week
Never

Does your child use simple gestures (e.g. wave goodbye)?

Many times a day
A few times a day
A few times a week
Less than once a week
Never

Does your child make unusual finger movements near his/her eyes?

Many times a day
A few times a day
A few times a week
Less than once a week
Never

Does your child spontaneously look at your face to check your reaction when faced with something unfamiliar?

Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never

How long can your child’s interest be maintained by just one or two objects?

Most of the day
Several hours
Half an hour
Ten minutes
A couple of minutes

Does your child twiddle objects repetitively (e.g. pieces of string)?

Many times a day
A few times a day
A few times a week
Less than once a week
Never

Does your child seem oversensitive to noise?

Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never

Does your child stare at nothing with no apparent purpose?

Many times a day
A few times a day
A few times a week
Less than once a week
Never
Sources:

C Allison, S Baron-Cohen, S Wheelwright, T Charman, J Richler, G Pasco, and C Brayne. The Q-CHAT (Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers): A Normally Distributed Quantitative Measure of Autistic Traits at 18-24 Months of Age: Preliminary Report. J Autism Dev Disord 38(8): 1414-1425 (2008).

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