Autism (ASD) and Asperger's Symptoms
​Children, teens, and young adults with ASD or Asperger's often show the symptoms listed below.
-
Difficulty making and keeping friends. Some children and teens deeply desire friendships, but struggle to develop them. Others regard friendships as unimportant
-
Trouble noticing social cues or demonstrating age-appropriate social skills
-
High levels of rigidity and a need for things to happen exactly as they expect it to
-
Very strong or unusual interests. Children and teens may become experts in their areas of interest, learning all there is to possibly know about it. They may discuss the topic excessively or spend an inordinate amount of time on the interest. Some interests may be quirky or “off the beaten path.” Others may be common interests for the child’s age pursued to an excessive level.
-
Sensory sensitivities to loud noises or certain food textures; an excessively limited diet
-
Developmental delays, clumsiness, or unusual motor movements like hand-flapping or rocking back and forth
Reasons to Evaluate
Evaluations can help determine if your child is on the autism spectrum. Just because a child shows some characteristics of autism does not mean he or she has Asperger’s or autism. In addition to identifying a potential diagnosis, evaluations help parents decide which interventions will best help their child, such as ABA therapy or social skills groups. They help parents identify how to structure the home environment to support their child’s needs and provide recommendations for school supports that may maximize the child’s learning experience. Additional problems a child may have, such as problems with anxiety or self-esteem, can be detected. In short, an evaluation for autism should function like a good roadmap, leaving parents with plans to move forward in a positive direction.
The Testing Process
Testing begins with a diagnostic interview conducted with parents. The interview involves an in-depth review of your child’s history. Several testing appointments with your child follow, during which your child will be asked to complete a wide variety of activities. If needed, a school observation can be conducted. Parents and two teachers will be given detailed rating scales that assess how your child functions compared to other same-aged peers. All results are reviewed with parents in a final feedback meeting. A written report that describes all findings and provides recommendations for home and school supports is provided.
​
In an autism evaluation, the following are assessed:
-
Various facets of social skills, such as social awareness and communication skills
-
Adaptive skills (i.e., how well your child or teen navigates common tasks of daily living)
-
Reasoning abilities and academic performance
-
Efficiency of information processing and the ability to memorize and retain information in different forms
-
Attention and executive functioning
-
Language skills, such as vocabulary and the ability to focus on and comprehend oral information
-
Anxiety, self-esteem, and other areas of potential emotional or behavioral difficulties
​
The fee for an evaluation is $2250. This includes comprehensive testing for learning disorders, ADHD, and other potential concerns. In-network benefits are not offered; however, you can receive a receipt to submit to your insurer for out-of-network benefits.