Recognizing characteristics with the CoSoS questionnaire

Do you have the feeling that your child aged between 12 and 48 months is developing differently from other children? Would you like to know if your child might have autism? And do you find it difficult to determine if it is necessary to seek help? The CoSoS (ESAT) questionnaire will help you answer these questions. 

CoSoS (ESAT) stands for 'Early Screening of Autistic Traits'. The questionnaire helps parents and professionals recognise problems in the areas of interaction, communication, play and stimulus processing. These are problems that occur in autism, among other things.

What you need to know about the CoSos (ESAT) questionnaire

• The questionnaire can be used for children aged around 12 to 48 months.
• The questionnaire consists of 14 questions that you can answer with 'yes' or 'no'.
• The questionnaire can be completed by parents and/or professionals. Parents and professionals can also do it together.

What can you do with the results of the CoSos (ESAT) questionnaire?

The results of the CoSoS questionnaire can help you assess whether further support may be needed. After completing the questionnaire, you will receive an overview of your answers, along with an explanation of what the results mean and what you can do next.

For reliable results, it is recommended to review the questionnaire with, for example, a child health doctor or child health nurse at the local child health clinic (Jeugdgezondheidszorg/JGZ).

PLEASE NOTE: For children younger than 12 months or older than 48 months, results are not reliable.

If your child has an ‘atypical’ score on three or more questions, they may be at increased risk of a developmental problem. This does not necessarily mean that your child has autism. However, it is advisable to explore further why your child’s development appears to be different.

Development CoSoS: Dr. C. Dietz and Dr. I. Servatius-Oosterling
Illustrations: Peter Brouwers

In international literature, the CoSoS questionnaire is referred to as the ESAT. CoSoS is the revised name for the ESAT; the questions are the same.