Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives, others do not.

Signs of autism usually appear by two or three years of age, and some associated development delays can appear even earlier. Early intervention is important and often leads to more positive life outcomes for those with autism.

Autism can be assessed by examining social communication and social interaction abilities, behavioral characteristics, and needs. There is no single test for autism. Autism evaluations require information from various sources. Those sources can include information from the individual themself, people such as caretakers and teachers, direct assessment and direct observation. Intelligence testing, academic achievement testing and investigation of skills needed to live independently and to function well in daily life, are other important factors to consider when the presence of autism has been determined.