Description du projet
Améliorer le diagnostic des troubles du spectre autistique chez les enfants atteints d’infirmité motrice cérébrale
L’infirmité motrice cérébrale (IMC) est le handicap physique le plus courant chez l’enfant, et les troubles du spectre autistique (TSA) sont l’une de ses comorbidités les plus communes et les plus importantes. L’identification correcte des TSA dans l’IMC est importante sur le plan clinique, car une prise en charge précoce des TSA est essentielle au fonctionnement adaptatif et donc à l’indépendance à un stade ultérieur de la vie. Les outils de diagnostic des TSA actuels reposent sur des symptômes comportementaux qui peuvent être masqués par le handicap physique. Cela limite leur validité et leur utilisation dans le cadre de l’IMC, rendant le diagnostic très difficile. Avec le soutien du programme Actions Marie Skłodowska-Curie, le projet EASED-CP développera des instruments permettant de guider l’évaluation et le diagnostic des TSA chez les personnes atteintes d’IMC et d’autres troubles moteurs. Le succès sera renforcé par la collaboration internationale interculturelle au sein du projet.
Objectif
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common physical disability in childhood and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one of its most common and impactful comorbidities. Proper identification of ASD in CP is clinically important but state-of-the-art diagnostic methods rely on behavioural symptoms that overlap with the motor and speech difficulties seen in CP. This makes ASD diagnosis very challenging and limits the validity and usability of standardized clinical instruments. Consequently, some children with CP go undiagnosed and without important support for their ASD. Others can be falsely diagnosed by, for example, being physically unable to complete assessments. This has detrimental effects and results in resource misallocation.
EASED-CP will establish the next-generation gold-standard clinical tools for assessment of ASD symptoms in CP. Current clinical and research practices for ASD assessment in children with CP will be reviewed and experts surveyed. Consensus clinical guidelines and an adapted standardized instrument for ASD assessment in CP will be co-developed though a Delphi process, implemented, and tested. This will be enabled by a cross-cultural international collaboration of pioneers in ASD (University of California San Francisco, outgoing phase), CP (University of Barcelona, return phase) and instrument validation (Hogrefe TEA Ediciones, placement). My current clinical and research expertise in the psychological characteristics of children with CP, interdisciplinary profile and previous success building international collaborations makes me the perfect fit to lead this project.
Through EASED-CP I will connect with a broad international expert network and develop a unique collection of expertise. This includes completing exceptional-quality training in test-building methods and ASD assessments. Overall, the cooperation of these leading research centres is expected to have a tremendous impact on the understanding and diagnosis of ASD in CP.
Mots‑clés
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Régime de financement
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-GF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global FellowshipsCoordinateur
08007 Barcelona
Espagne