Autism Diagnostic Evaluation
Autism Diagnostic Evaluations
What is Autism?
A diagnostic evaluation is an important first step if you, a family member, or a care provider (e.g., pediatrician) suspects that your child may have autism. Our team will work with your family to understand your child’s strengths and needs. We will conduct a thorough diagnostic assessment to ensure an accurate diagnosis and share individualized, evidence-based recommendations. We understand how challenging it can be to navigate concerns about your child’s development. Our goal is to help you find clarity and support through a thorough and compassionate evaluation process. If you are seeking a formal diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the process is outlined below.
When should you seek an evaluation for autism?
If you are a parent or caregiver of a child with autism, or you suspect that your child may have autism, you may have noticed a variety of behaviors. Younger children may use limited verbal language, gestures (e.g., pointing), and facial expressions to communicate. School-age children may struggle with making and keeping friends, engaging in conversation, and/or collaboratively playing games with peers.
Other common signs of autism include tantrums, aggressive or destructive behavior, difficulty handling changes in routine, sensory sensitivities, or difficulty following through when given instructions. Additionally, many children with autism experience concerns that commonly co-occur with ASD, including anxiety, self-injury, difficulty with activities of daily living (e.g., toileting difficulties, hygiene), feeding, and sleep difficulties.
Diagnostic Evaluations for Autism
A diagnostic evaluation is the first step in addressing your concerns and understanding your child’s unique needs. This multi-step process helps to better understand the challenges you have noticed. We use several assessment tools to ensure that your child is receiving an accurate diagnosis.
A formal diagnosis is important for a number of reasons. First, a formal diagnosis is often required in order to secure services through your child’s school system or insurance provider. Additionally, the evaluation process will outline your child’s specific support needs, which enables them to receive individualized and effective treatment.
Below is a guide for how our evaluations are typically structured. While the process may vary slightly depending on your child’s needs, your family will meet with the same psychologist throughout each step to ensure consistency and personalized care.
01 Initial Intake – The process begins with a parent interview to obtain a thorough understanding of your child, their developmental history, and the concerns you have.
02 Record Review – We will review all relevant documents, such as prior test results, medical records, or report cards, to provide context for your concerns. We will also ask parents (and teachers, if applicable) to complete standardized questionnaires.
03 Child Appointments – Your child will participate in a series of activities, some of which are play-based and that they may find fun. Your psychologist will administer the ADOS-2, a gold standard tool used in autism evaluations to assess social-communicative and repetitive behaviors. The psychologist may also assess cognitive and language skills, depending on the appropriateness for your child.
04 Feedback – After completion of the evaluation and forms, parents will attend a feedback session to review the results and to discuss treatment recommendations. We will provide education about your child’s diagnosis and ways you can support them. These recommendations will include a clear and practical plan of action, including a detailed explanation of suggested strategies. We can also provide referrals for follow-up services, such as applied behavior analysis (ABA), occupational therapy (OT), or continued support from psychologists on our team (e.g., parent training, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT)).
05 Comprehensive Report – You will receive a detailed report summarizing the results of the evaluation, including your child’s background history, test results and their interpretations, a formal diagnosis if applicable, and individualized recommendations.
Follow-Up and Continued Care
Completing an evaluation is only the beginning of the journey towards supporting your child. After your evaluation, our psychologist remains available and committed to helping your child and family access the appropriate interventions and support. This may include:
- Attending IEP or other school meetings to provide recommendations that support your child’s best interest.
- Exploring treatment options through our Center, such as our Autism Services Program.
- Assisting with referrals for follow-up services outside our Center, ensuring your child receives the comprehensive support they need.
Frequently Asked Questions about
Autism Evaluations
How many meetings are there?
Most autism evaluations include 3 meetings: an initial parent interview, a child meeting, and a parent feedback session. These are described in detail above (see Diagnostic Evaluations)
Do you use the ADOS-2 for the autism diagnostic evaluation?
We recognize that there are a number of valid ways to assess and diagnose autism. Our team uses the ADOS-2 in evaluations, which is considered a gold-standard tool for autism assessment and diagnosis.
I’m an adult and I wonder if I am autistic. Can you help?
Yes, of course! Autism is increasingly being diagnosed in adulthood. You may have been wondering for some time if you may be on the spectrum and want to find out the answer. We conduct formal evaluations and, if appropriate, provide an autism diagnosis. Our team has specialized training in the assessment and diagnosis of adults and will customize the evaluation process to your specific situation.
This sounds overwhelming! Is it really?
Families with children who have autism often face many challenges, from navigating social or behavioral difficulties to finding the best support services. Our team is here to help you and your family. When you have an autism evaluation with us, you will be paired with a psychologist on our team who will serve as your point person from beginning to end. Your psychologist will guide you from the evaluation itself through determining the best steps to take after receiving the results.