| Type | General developmental screening — not autism-specific |
|---|---|
| Age range | 1 to 66 months, across 21 age-specific questionnaires |
| Format | About 30 questions answered by a parent ("yes / sometimes / not yet"), 10–15 minutes |
| Domains | Communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, personal-social |
| Who uses it | Pediatric practices at well-child visits, early intervention programs, Head Start, home-visiting programs, childcare |
| Publisher | Brookes Publishing (Squires & Bricker) — administered through providers, not a self-serve tool |
How scoring works
Each of the five domains is scored separately and compared against a cutoff for that age:
- Above the cutoff — development appears on track in that domain.
- Monitoring zone — close to the cutoff; the recommendation is to provide activities and re-screen sooner rather than to refer immediately.
- Below the cutoff — refer for further assessment. In the U.S., that means a developmental evaluation and, for children under 3, a referral to early intervention — which you can make yourself.
A companion questionnaire, the ASQ:SE-2, screens social-emotional development specifically and is sometimes used alongside it.
The single most important thing to know about the ASQ-3: it is not an autism screen, and passing it does not rule autism out. It samples development broadly — a child with strong motor and problem-solving skills can score comfortably above the cutoffs while showing exactly the social communication differences that matter for autism. That is not a flaw in the tool; it is simply not what the tool is for.
Which parts are most relevant to autism
The communication and personal-social domains come closest to the territory autism screening covers — gestures, responding to name, imitation, interest in other children. If your child's scores sit low in those two domains while motor scores are fine, that pattern is worth naming out loud at the appointment, even if no single domain fell below its cutoff.
How it fits with autism-specific screening
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends both, at different visits: general developmental screening at 9, 18, and 30 months (this is where the ASQ-3 lives) and autism-specific screening at 18 and 24 months (the M-CHAT-R/F). They are complementary, not interchangeable.
So if your child had "a developmental screening" at 18 months, that does not tell you whether autism screening happened. It is entirely reasonable to ask directly: "Was the M-CHAT done as well, or only the ASQ?" See how the screening schedule works.
Filling it out well
Answer for what your child does reliably and on their own, not their single best moment. "Sometimes" exists for a reason — use it rather than rounding up. And use the comments space: the free-text notes at the end are often where the most useful information reaches the clinician, especially about social behavior the questions don't quite capture.
Medical disclaimer: Educational information only. The ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 are published instruments of their authors and publisher; no questionnaire content is reproduced here. This page cannot diagnose your child; consult a qualified clinician.