Autism Diagnosis Q & A
How is Autism Diagnosed?
At Scottsdale Pediatric Behavioral Services, the team provides a thorough evaluation of your child. The team prides itself on focusing on quality instead of quantity.
The diagnostic experts spend a significant amount of time with your child in a one-on-one setting to ensure they develop a complete diagnostic understanding of your child’s needs. They offer a multistep diagnostic process to create a comprehensive understanding of your child’s needs.
What are the Steps of an Autism Diagnosis?
There are five components to an autism diagnosis.
Meet and greet
Scottsdale Pediatric Behavioral Services want you and your child to feel comfortable. They invite potential patients and their families to the state-of-the-art facility to meet the team and learn about their approach before committing to the next steps of the process.
During this initial meeting, the team collects your child’s medical history and performs a brief pre-assessment.
Clinical interview
During the clinical interview, the team establishes an understanding of your child’s current level of functioning, concerning behaviors, and your goals for treatment. They collect a thorough medical and family history to assess your child’s risk of neurological conditions.
They also ask about your child’s developmental history. Your child also participates in an interactive pre-assessment activity to determine if they’re ready to engage with the diagnostic process.
Direct assessment
During the direct assessment, the team assesses your child’s neurocognitive strengths and weaknesses and studies their social skills.
Your child participates in a series of structured one-on-one assessments, including responding to questions verbally, solving puzzles, manipulating blocks, and completing other tasks that measure your child’s intelligence, memory, higher-level thinking, language skills, and motor function.
Diagnostic process
The results of the direct assessment are compiled into a report which is analyzed in conjunction with other data, including parental reports, medical records, and additional information about your child to determine if they meet the diagnostic criteria for an autism disorder and to assess the severity of their condition. The data also helps inform a treatment plan to help your child.
Feedback appointment
During the feedback appointment, a member of the team meets with you to explain the extensive report from your child’s assessment. They review the big picture and work down to specific details about your child’s condition, needs, and recommended next steps. The reports and next steps are specifically tailored to your child’s needs.
What Happens if my Child is Diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder?
If your child receives an autism diagnosis, the team at Scottsdale Pediatric Behavioral Services provides highly customized treatment programs to help your child develop the skills and coping strategies they need to achieve their full potential.
They use applied behavior analysis principles and techniques such as consistent positive reinforcement to encourage behavioral change.
Call Scottsdale Pediatric Behavioral Services or make an appointment online for expert assessments and accurate autism diagnosis.