Online Autism Testing - ASD Online Testing

Online Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment for Toddlers and Young Children in Fort Collins

At Northern Colorado Assessment Center, kids, teens, and adults in Fort Collins and all of Northern Colorado can receive testing services to answer diagnostic questions related to a variety of educational, developmental, and emotional conditions, including assessments for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). As the word “spectrum” suggests, ASD is a complex condition that impacts individuals in different ways. Because of the complexity of ASD, conducting thorough assessments is very important. This allows us to provide a comprehensive diagnostic report and recommend ongoing support for kids and caregivers for every stage of child development. We usually see kids for ASD assessment on the recommendation of their pediatrician who will refer them to us when your child is between the ages of 18 and 24 months. This can be scary for parents, but we always want to reassure you that it’s going to be okay. Assessments for ASD give you the information you need to offer the right support and resources for your child, and that’s always our top priority.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has kept many of us at home where it’s safe and we can avoid unnecessary exposure, our practice has looked for ways to offer continued service for clients without asking them to leave home. Many parents suddenly have plenty of time to schedule that testing appointment they’ve been waiting on, but now, they can’t come in to see us. To accommodate parents and kids who want to use this extra time well, we’ve completed training to offer specific assessments, including ASD testing, using a telehealth (virtual video chat appointment) platform. Keep reading to learn more about the process for online ASD testing or contact Northern Colorado Assessment.

Who Can Receive Online ASD Testing?

We are happy to offer online ASD testing for toddlers and young children between 18 months and 5 years old. Testing will be completed using an online video conferencing session, interviews with parents and caregivers, and rating scales that can be completed by parents and/or educators. If your child does not fall within this age range, please call Northern Colorado Assessment Center. While we recommend testing at this age, we may be able to offer ASD online assessments for kids in other age groups on a case by case basis.

How Does Online ASD Testing Work?

It is our goal to offer the same high clinical standards of evaluation available in our office when conducting virtual telehealth assessments. This may mean you’ll need to take some extra time to prepare yourself, your home, and your child for the session. You can explore the basic process on this page, but please contact us with questions.

Preparing for a Telehealth Appointment

  • Your clinician will provide you with IntakeQ instructions via email. Please review this information carefully. IntakeQ is our video session platform, and you should feel confident using the system before we get started. If you have issues with the IntakeQ platform, please contact us in advance of your scheduled appointment.
  • Find a device (phone, tablet, computer) for your session. It will need to have a microphone, camera, and speakers.
  • Choose a room in your house. You’ll need some space to move around and play with your child, so the clinician can observe these interactions. You also want a space with minimal distractions (we know that you can’t always avoid all interruptions and distractions, which is okay).
  • Have some toys in the room like blocks, musical toys, puzzles, balls, etc. We don’t recommend electronic devices for play during the assessment.
  • Have one of your child’s favorite snacks available in a container.

During the Telehealth Assessment

  • At the beginning of your telehealth session, we will simply talk about your child. We’ll want to review your child’s medical and developmental history. We’ll ask questions about why you chose to schedule an ASD assessment. You will have completed an intake developmental history form through IntakeQ, but we like to hear from you and discuss your concerns or questions.
  • Then, we’ll ask you to do some activities with your child. These activities are specially designed to show the clinician how your child is communicating, playing, and engaging with others. Even if it seems silly, we promise the activity will help us better understand your child.
  • As you perform these activities, we will ask you to use specific words and/or movements and allow us to watch how your child reacts. If we have difficulty seeing or hearing your child’s response, we may also ask you to describe them to us.

After Your Session

Once we’ve completed the telehealth session, your clinician will review the notes, rating scales, and information you provided before our meeting. Using standardized ASD assessment rubrics, the clinician will put together a report that includes diagnostic information and recommendations for ongoing support and resources. We will schedule a follow up call to discuss the assessment report and recommendations.

For in person Autism Testing in Fort Collins, CO please click here.

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