WHAT IS AUTISM
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Unusual behaviors Individuals with autism have restrictive, repetitive behavior, interests and activities. For example, a child with autism may play with only one toy or watch the same video repeatedly. People with autism may engage in peculiar, sustained play activities such as spinning the wheels of a toy car instead of pretending to drive it, or dangling an object in front of their eyes for long periods of time. Other repetitive behaviors may include motor movements, such as hand flapping, spinning or jumping. Some people with autism may focus intensely on a particular topic, such as dinosaurs or vacuum cleaners, to the exclusion of any other interests. Individuals with autism can be very reliant on specific routines and resistant to changes. Even a minor change in their routine or environment could be a great upset to a child or adult with autism. What can parents expect at a diagnostic evaluation?
During evaluations, the child and parents may meet with a number of specialists, including a pediatric neurologist or developmental pediatrician, psychologist, speech-language pathologist, and occupational or physical therapist.
If autism is suspected, an evaluation by a physician or psychologist should be conducted as soon as possible. Sometimes, a variety of professionals also conduct evaluations. During these evaluations, the child and parents may meet with a number of specialists, including a pediatric neurologist or developmental pediatrician, psy- chologist, speech-language pathologist, and occupational or physical therapist. Ideally, each professional sum- marizes his/her findings in a written report. Ultimately, the child must meet the criteria outlined by the DSM-5 to qualify for an official diagnosis by a physician or psychologist. The evaluation may consist of the following components: 1. Medical and developmental history : Parents/caregivers will be interviewed to collect information about the pregnancy, birth, health, and medical history of the child. They will also report any behavioral concerns and the progress the child has made toward developmental milestones. Social and development questionnaires may be requested to assess the child’s behavior both at home and at school, daycare, or other childcare settings. 2. Autism testing: Observations should include both structured and unstructured observations of the child. Information about the child’s development is assessed through the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule ADOS ® -2, a series of tasks that assess an individual’s social and communication skills, play, behavior, and restricted interests. To capture as much information as possible about the child’s life, the team interviews the people who know him best: the parents. Thus, parents may be asked to complete a structured interview such as the Autism Diagnostic Interview ADI ® -R and a Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (Vineland TM -II) to provide an assessment of the child’s communication, socialization, daily living skills, and motor skills. These assessments, in addition to other standardized measures that may be used, will pro- vide a basis for determining if the child has ASD. 3. Psychological testing: A psychologist will administer developmental and intelligence testing. These tests yield important information related to the child's abilities, limitations, and overall level of functioning compared to other children the same age. 4. Speech-language assessment: A speech therapist will assess the child's communicative abilities, including the ability to understand and use language, articulate clearly, use language for different functions, and engage in conversations. The speech therapist’s evaluation should result in specific treatment recommendations for improving the child’s speech and communication. 5. Occupational or physical therapy assessment: An occupational therapist will assess the child's fine motor and self-help skills to determine if the child is able to complete age-appropriate activities such as getting dressed,
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