Whereas it is well documented how parents experience the diagnostic process of their child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), less is known about parental experiences with the course of the early identification process and first steps in receiving care for their child with ASD symptoms. This mixed-method study investigated these experiences as well as barriers and improvement strategies regarding early detection in the Netherlands. A parental survey (N = 45) showed that, on average, initial concerns started at 22 months. A focus group (N = 10) revealed multiple barriers and proposed strategies of improvement in three domains: "Knowledge and Expertise", "Attention to Parental Needs" and "System and Organization". Strategies to improve early identification will be discussed based on parental perspectives and professional perspectives.

中文翻译：

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为自闭症儿童提供早期识别和初步护理的父母经验：量身定制的改进策略。

尽管有充分的文献记录父母如何体验自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD) 孩子的诊断过程，但对于父母在早期识别过程和接受自闭症谱系障碍儿童护理的第一步的经历知之甚少。这项混合方法研究调查了荷兰早期发现的这些经验以及障碍和改进策略。一项家长调查 (N = 45) 表明，平均而言，最初的担忧始于 22 个月。一个焦点小组（N = 10）揭示了多个障碍并提出了三个领域的改进策略：“知识和专业知识”、“关注父母的需求”和“系统和组织”。