An autism diagnosis affects individuals throughout their lives in two core ways:
This does not mean that autistic individuals do not engage in communication, socially, or otherwise.
It does mean that their behavior in these core areas are different from those observed in children of the same developmental age.
Children over two years old are generally strong visual learners and react well to visual cues and routines.
Although the presence of these or any early indicators does not necessarily mean that a child is autistic, it may suggest that a child should be screened for autism or developmental delays by a medical professional.
If you notice any characteristics or indicators of autism, ask your physician. First, individuals may undergo a general developmental screening, hearing assessment, and, if needed, additional medical testing specific to parent and/or physician concerns. If concerns remain, a physician or pediatrician would recommend a comprehensive evaluation by a multidisciplinary team to administer specific diagnostic screening tools and possibly a referral to other specialists.
Other disciplines, such as therapists or social workers may screen and suggest further referral for autism evaluation but are not qualified to make formal medical diagnoses.
One or more of the providers noted above would observe your child’s:
The provider may also conduct interviews with the child’s parents and/or review information from other caregivers (such as teachers and therapists) or providers to learn how the child behaves and interacts across settings.
They will also want to obtain information about the child’s developmental, social, family, and behavioral histories.
Additional testing may be undertaken to rule out other medical, mental health, and/or neurodevelopmental disorders. The medical professional may also utilize standardized diagnostic tools, such as the Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised (ADI-R) or the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – Generic (ADOS-G). A medical diagnosis of ASD is made according to diagnostic criteria as described in the current version of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5; APA, 2013).
While a medical diagnosis of autism helps you identify service needs related to the overall health of your child, an educational classification is needed to identify and address needs within a school setting.
Your child may be eligible for special education services:
(As specified within the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) and the Indiana Department of Education Article 7.)
A medical diagnosis of autism may be used in consideration of eligibility decisions but is not necessary or sufficient to make the educational classification.
A multidisciplinary team comprised of qualified professionals (e.g., school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and special education teachers, among others depending on the student’s unique needs) will conduct an educational evaluation of the student’s:
Following and based upon this evaluation, a case conference committee (CCC) comprised of various school professionals and the student’s parents will decide whether the student’s autistic traits result in a consistent and significant negative impact on their academic achievement or functional performance. If the CCC concludes that the student’s autism does negatively interfere with learning, they would be determined to be eligible for special education services within the school setting.
