Signs and Symptoms
Children with autism may struggle with making this type of contact, often considered an important social cue.
Eye contact
This common parent-completed screening questionnaire is often used to identify early signs of autism in toddlers.
M-CHAT (Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers)?
The average age of autism diagnosis in the U.S. is around this number of years, though symptoms often appear earlier.
3-4 years
In our NEIS office, these 2 providers are able to diagnose ASD
Dr. Stage and Dr. Mousa
Instead of using words or gestures, some children with autism may use a caregiver’s hand to grab objects, a behavior called...
Hand-leading
If a child scores medium on the M-CHAT, the next recommended step in NEIS is this.
CARS Assessment
This comprehensive, play-based assessment is considered the "gold standard" for diagnosing autism.
Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)
After diagnosis, children may receive therapies such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and this behavior-based approach.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
A child with autism might repeat words or phrases they hear without necessarily understanding their meaning, a behavior called...
Echolalia
One limitation of the M-CHAT is that some children may pass despite showing these behaviors/skills. (will take specific examples)
subtle autism traits (ex: lining toys up)
The ADOS can be used for individuals across a wide age range, starting as young as this age.
12 months
According to the CDC, approximately this many children in the U.S. are diagnosed with autism.
1 in 36
Babies typically follow others’ gazes to see what they are looking at which may be absent in autism, a skilled called....
Joint-attention
This is the total number of yes-or-no questions on the standard M-CHAT questionnaire.
20
In our office, a full autism assessment typically includes these three main components.
Review of developmental history, play-based standardized assessment/observation, and parent interview (DSM-IV)
Research suggests that autism in girls may be significantly underdiagnosed due to this long-standing issue in diagnostic tools.
male-biased/male-focused diagnostic model