The Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Is Performing an Examination

The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner is performing an examination on a 5-year-old child who exhibits ritualistic behaviors, avoids contact with other children, and has limited speech. The parent reports having had concerns more than 2 years ago about autism, but was told that it was too early to diagnose. What will the nurse practitioner do first?

A) Administer an M-CHAT screen to screen the child for communication and socialization delays.
B) Ask the parent to describe the child's earlier behaviors from infancy through preschool.
C) Reassure the parent that if symptoms weren't present earlier, the likelihood of autism is low.
D) Refer the child to a pediatric behavioral specialist to develop a plan of treatment and management.