Diagnosis process of autism spectrum disorder can be difficult since most signs and symptoms do not begin to develop till your child is almost a year or older. To make a diagnosis, your child’s doctor would need to observe your child’s behavior and development. A firm ASD or autism spectrum disorder diagnosis cannot be done until the child is eighteen months or older. At this age, developmental behavior begins to develop, and you will notice signs that your child may be behind. A child should be screen starting at the ages of:
- Nine months
- Eighteen months
- Twenty four months
- Thirty months
- More screenings may be necessary if your child is more likely to face developmental problems due to premature birth, low birth rate, etc.
Screening: Developmental and Behavioral
A developmental and behavioral screening is a short test that will tell doctors if your child has the basic learning skill they should at their age. During this screening, the doctor will talk to you and your child while asking your child certain questions, interacting with he/she in a specific way to determine if your child falls on the autism spectrum. It is important for doctors to screen all children for developmental delays so that the right approach can be taken to get your child on track or so that certain measure can be taken to help your child in the stage they are at now.
All-Inclusive Diagnostic Evaluation
After screening your child for developmental and behavioral delays, the next step would be to take an all-inclusive or comprehensive diagnostic evaluation. This will provide the doctor with more in-depth answers that might involve interviewing parents, conducting a hearing and vision test, genetic testing, and another test that need to be performed to diagnose your child properly. While your doctor might perform the first screenings, they might refer you to a specialist who can further evaluate your child and give you the answers you need.
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