Autism Spectrum Disorder Evaluations
What is Autism?
Autism is known as a developmental disability, but it is so much greater than that! Over the last few years, we’ve all become more aware of autism, but, in many cases, we are still working on accepting and appreciating Autism as a difference in how our brain is wired rather than as a deficit or disease. This difference in the brain can lead to some wonderful strengths.
Helping a person understand whether or not they have autism is about helping them understand part of their identity. Autistic children are often taught to be different – more like other kids, and, as we talk more and more with autistic adults, it becomes clear that, “fixing,” an autistic brain isn’t possible or helpful. Instead, we want to shift our focus to learning about each child and embracing their unique set of traits and abilities.
When thinking about testing, it is important to take every aspect of a child’s development into account. During the evaluation, we ask a lot of questions about early growth and development, as we find there are some common shifts in development for autistic individuals.
Because development issues can be detected during early childhood, it is best to try and test for autism as early as possible. Although not the only components of a diagnosis, there are a few areas we often see impacted in autistic children: speech and language, emotional regulation, rigidity, and sensory differences.
What are the symptoms?
The main symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder are differences in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors. We also often see differences in emotional regulation and sensory integration.
Speech & Communication: does your child prefer to speak through their actions rather than their words? Can your child talk at length about their interests but has more difficulty with small talk? Does your child have different body boundaries than you’d expect? Is eye contact difficult for your child?
Emotional Regulation: are their emotions amplified, no matter if they are happy or upset? Is it difficult for your child to show emotion or talk about how they’re feeling?
Rigidity: does your child prefer to stick to specific routines? Is it hard for your child to understand another person’s perspective? Do they engage in the same activities over and over again?
Sensory Sensitivities: is your child bothered by sensations, such as clothing, foods, or noises? Does your child prefer sensory experiences, such as being buried under pillows, big hugs, or swinging?
How do you evaluate for Autism?
We always want to know the full story before making any assumptions about behaviors that we see and giving a diagnosis. During our evaluation process, we try to get to know your child across various settings by talking with other important people in their life, such as their teachers and therapists. We also spend a lot of time speaking with you about your child and their history. When working with your child, we use several different measures to assess for autism. This allows us to be flexible to your child’s needs during the assessment, as well as gives us a variety of opportunities to learn about your child’s strengths. The main goal of these assessments is to help you, your child, and your child’s care team understand more about the unique set of characteristics that make your child who they are. We learn about how their brain works and are able to use their strengths to bolster areas of weakness or difference. Learning more about your child is the first step to helping them reach their maximum potential. We will work together to start your child on a new path of growth and appreciation for how special they are.
Testing for Autism can feel scary or nerve-racking. Although that’s perfectly understandable, the evaluation sessions are nothing to fear! We meet your child where they are and gently approach conversation and assessment in order to ensure your child’s comfort. Dr. Warning-Probst is skilled in building strong connections with her patients and works to understand the world from their perspective. We also take things like their emotional and mental health into consideration when performing tests. All of this makes for an accurate diagnosis and action plan for moving forward! It is important to keep in mind that an autism diagnosis is not something to fear, but rather a key to unlocking how remarkable your child truly is.