The Autism Evaluation Process
Who Conducts Evaluations
Autism evaluations are conducted by developmental pediatricians, child psychiatrists, pediatric neurologists, or neuropsychologists. The most comprehensive evaluations involve multidisciplinary teams including speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists alongside psychologists.
What the Evaluation Involves
A comprehensive evaluation typically includes a detailed developmental and medical history, direct observation of the child, standardized tools such as the ADOS-2, cognitive and adaptive behavior testing, and speech and language assessment. No single test diagnoses autism. The diagnosis is based on the pattern of findings across multiple areas.
How to Prepare
Bring prior evaluations, school reports, and teacher observations. Write specific examples of what you have observed with context. Include both challenges and strengths. Bring your child's full medical history. Ask about the timeline for the written report.
After the Evaluation
You should receive a written report with findings, a diagnosis if one is made, and recommendations. If autism is diagnosed, the report will typically recommend services and supports. You can share this report with your child's school to begin requesting special education services.