You may have heard Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) which is also referred to as autism, Asperger’s syndrome, or a number of other names. For many years, the diagnostic criteria used by psychological assessment professionals (the DSM-5) called for a differentiation between specific forms of ASD, including Asperger Syndrome, pervasive development disorder (PDD), and Rhett’s Disorder. Instead, an ASD diagnosis now encompasses the entire range of symptoms.
ASD by any name refers to the constellation of symptoms that occur due to differences in early neurodevelopment. As a child’s brain develops, those who are diagnosed with ASD begin to exhibit signs of developmental difference before the age of three. As research and studies continue, clinicians can now diagnose children at much younger ages. Early testing and diagnosis can be a great benefit for your child, because it can ensure successful treatment and therapy and lead to the best possible functioning.
When should you schedule an evaluation for your child?
Early identification of ASD can be crucial to your child’s health and wellbeing, but as the word spectrum indicates, a child diagnosed with ASD may experience a range of symptoms, including:
- Difficulty with social interactions
- Inability to understand or express themselves through verbal and nonverbal communication
- Engaging in repetitive behaviors
- Cognitive development differences
- Struggles with sensory perception
- Concentration and attention problems
- Disordered sleep
- Gastrointestinal concerns
Because autism testing is often recommended for very young people (in the first two years of life), parents can struggle to determine whether or not their child should visit us for assessment. We encourage parents to pay attention to the following early indicators for infants and toddlers:
- Not responding to their name by 12 to 18 months old
- Lack of interest in objects and people around them by 15 months old
- No interest in play or pretending by 18 months old
- Repetitive play and/or play with non-toy items
- Unexpected reactions to sounds or sensations
- Repetition of words or phrases or unrelated answers to questions
- Inability to empathize and/or difficulty expressing or explaining their own thoughts, feelings, and emotions
- Avoiding eye contact
- Lack of enjoyment in interacting with others or preferring to play alone
- Excessive responses to minor changes in daily routines or environments
- Hyper-focusing on just a few interests even to the point of obsession
- Repetitive body movements (e.g., hand flapping, rocking, spinning)
Any of these symptoms might indicate underlying issues, and scheduling an autism evaluation at our office in Fort Collins is the best way to receive diagnosis and begin treatment/therapy.
What does ASD evaluation for children look like?
To be sure that we eliminate other explanations or diagnoses, our psychologist will complete a full battery of tests to evaluate your child’s strengths, challenges, and support needs. This testing might include:
- Cognitive testing
- Adaptive testing
- Developmental testing
- Behavior and emotional testing
As we conduct the evaluation, we strive to provide comfort and care for both you and your child. To begin the assessment, we simply talk with you about your child. We will ask for detailed for background such as medical records/history or any relevant developmental history. We will also talk with you about why you decided to schedule the ASD assessment for your child, discuss your particular concerns, and endeavor to answer all of your questions.
For part of the autism assessment you may be with your child, but we will help your child separate from you to play and assess. These activities are designed to illustrate how your child communicates, plays, and engages with others who are not familiar. Some of what we do may seem silly, but every activity helps us better understand and diagnose your child. We then use the standardized ASD assessment rubrics to complete a report with diagnostic information and recommendations for a treatment plan. For more information about our autism testing services for children in Fort Collins, Colorado, contact us!