Frequently Asked Questions | Overview
The RITA-T training has been validated and reliable administration and scoring of the RITA-T is easily accomplished in about 3 hours.
Various early childhood providers have been trained on the administration and scoring of the RITA-T: Early intervention providers, speech therapists, developmental specialists, social workers, pediatricians, nurses, nurse practitioners, pediatric residents and psychologists.
We have developed the online RITA-T Training Course.
You can learn more and register for the course here.
If you are interested in having us come to you and train several providers in your group, send us an email at RITA-T@childrens.harvard.edu
The RITA-T can be administered and scored within about 10 minutes. Making it very easy to fit in busy practices.
The RITA-T differentiates extremely well between toddlers with ASD and toddlers with Developmental Delay (DD) /Non-ASD. Toddlers with no apparent developmental delay and toddlers with developmental or language delays, but with intact social communication skills, score comparably on the RITA-T.
Different systems have been developed that integrate the RITA-T and those are described in the RITA-T online course:
- Integration of the RITA-T as part of triaging of referrals ages 18 months - 36 months in a tertiary referral center (Integration of the RITA-T in triaging system such as the Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Division in Calgary, Alberta).
- Integration of RITA-T in screening for ASD in high risk groups (Early Intervention model with THOM EI Program in Worcester).
The RITA-T has been found to correlate well with established diagnostic measures of ASD (earlier study in 2015; study from Calgary; ongoing project).
The RITA-T has been validated on toddlers ages 18 months to 36 months. We are currently validating it on younger toddlers (12 months to 18 months). We are also validating a telehealth version of the RITA-T for 18 to 36-month-olds.
Initial study found a cut off score of more than 14 to be associated with ASD. Following studies found that cut off scores of 12 and higher should be looked at carefully. Current consensus is that:
- Score below 12: most probably non ASD
- Score 12-16: grey area and needs further testing; higher percentage of ASD.
- Score over 16: highly associated with ASD.
However, please do keep in mind that this is a screening test and that even if a child scores below the risk area however you still have concerns about the history, presentation or other risk factors, you have to still rely on your clinical impressions and judgment and make appropriate referrals.
What are your shipping and handling charges?
We have calculated $20 for shipping within the US, and $55 for shipping outside of the US. Please note that customs and duties on foreign shipments may be applied. Please read below for more information.
When will I receive my order?
Orders are usually shipped within 3-5 business days of receipt. Delivery usually takes 7 to 10 business days.
What are Customs and Duties on foreign shipments?
Customs charges and duties may be applied to a shipment when it enters a foreign country. These charges are determined by the country's government and are collected by the package courier upon delivery of goods. The carrier, acting as customs broker, may also charge a processing fee that you are responsible for paying. We have no role in assigning or collecting these duties.