Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a serious Neuro-Developmental Disorder that impairs a child's ability to communicate and interact with others. Autism significantly affects verbal and non-verbal communication and social interaction that adversely affects the child’s educational performance. It may also cause restricted repetitive behaviors, interests and activities.

The CDC latest statistics show that 1 in 59 children has Autism
(United States Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 2018)

Autism Symptoms can vary from mild to severe
Autism can affect boys four times more than girls

No two children with Autism are the same, each one is different

A typical diagnostic evaluation involves a multi-disciplinary team of doctors including a pediatrician, psychologist, speech and language pathologist and occupational therapist.

It's very Important to realize that Early Diagnosis & Early Intensive Intervention is CRUCIAL to gain maximum benefit from existing therapies and it can make a big difference in the lives of many children.

By age 2, a diagnosis by an experienced professional can be considered very reliable. However, many children do not receive a final diagnosis until much older. This delay means that children with an ASD might not get the help they need.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all children receive autism screening at 18 and 24 months of age, and the M-CHAT Revised version is one of the AAP’s recommended tools.

Diagnosing an ASD takes two steps:

• Developmental Screening
• Comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluation

Often parents are the first to notice that their child is showing unusual behaviors such as failing to make eye contact, not responding to his or her name or playing with toys in unusual, repetitive ways. For a description of early indicators of autism, see Learn the Signs.

Screening and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be difficult, since there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose the disorders. Doctors look at the child’s behavior and development to make a diagnosis.
ASD can sometimes be detected at 18 months or younger. By age 2, a diagnosis by an experienced professional can be considered very reliable.[1] However, many children do not receive a final diagnosis until much older. This delay means that children with an ASD might not get the help they need.
Diagnosing an ASD takes two steps:

• Developmental Screening
• Comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluation

Developmental Screening
Developmental screening is a short test to tell if children are learning basic skills when they should, or if they might have delays. During developmental screening the doctor might ask the parent some questions or talk and play with the child during an exam to see how she learns, speaks, behaves, and moves. A delay in any of these areas could be a sign of a problem.
All children should be screened for developmental delays and disabilities during regular well-child doctor visits at:

• 9 months
• 18 months
• 24 or 30 months
• Additional screening might be needed if a child is at high risk for developmental problems due to preterm birth, low birth weight or other reasons.

In addition, all children should be screened specifically for ASD during regular well-child doctor visits at:

• 18 months
• 24 months
• Additional screening might be needed if a child is at high risk for ASD (e.g., having a sister, brother or other family member with an ASD) or if behaviors sometimes associated with ASD are present

It is important for doctors to screen all children for developmental delays, but especially to monitor those who are at a higher risk for developmental problems due to preterm birth, low birth weight, or having a brother or sister with an ASD.
If your child’s doctor does not routinely check your child with this type of developmental screening test, ask that it be done.
If the doctor sees any signs of a problem, a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation is needed.
Comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluation
The second step of diagnosis is a comprehensive evaluation. This thorough review may include looking at the child’s behavior and development and interviewing the parents. It may also include a hearing and vision screening, genetic testing, neurological testing, and other medical testing.
In some cases, the primary care doctor might choose to refer the child and family to a specialist for further assessment and diagnosis. Specialists who can do this type of evaluation include:

• Developmental Pediatricians (doctors who have special training in child development and children with special needs)
• Child Neurologists (doctors who work on the brain, spine, and nerves)
• Child Psychologists or Psychiatrists (doctors who know about the human mind)

Unfortunately, doctors unfamiliar with diagnosing autism sometimes dismiss parent concerns, delaying diagnosis and the opportunity for early intervention therapies. Autism organizations are working hard to raise awareness of early signs among physicians as well as parents. We encourage parents to trust their instincts and find a doctor who will listen and refer their child to appropriate specialists for diagnosis.

Autism Spectrum Disorders can usually be reliably diagnosed by age 3, although new research is pushing back the age of diagnosis to as early as 6 months. Parents are usually the first to notice unusual behaviors in their child or their child's failure to reach appropriate developmental skills.

First, since vocal communication may be a problem, hearing tests are generally one of the first tests to be completed. Once hearing tests are completed, a complete neurological exam is given, along with cognitive and language testing.

Neurologists, speech therapists, psychomotor therapists, special educators, psychologists and psychiatrists are usually brought on board, and at the end of testing parents should be heavily involved in talking to doctors about the prognosis and decide together which way to proceed for treatment.

While there is no cure for autism spectrum disorder, intensive, early intervention can help children improve their developmental behaviour.

It is important to remember that you do not need a diagnosis to begin helping your child. Whatever the final diagnosis ends up being is irrelevant to the fact that as a parent you know your child has challenges and you want to help your child. Don’t wait for a diagnosis to start looking at ways to encourage your child to grow.