Diagnosis

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Home >> Diagnosis

Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis

There is no clear medical test to diagnose the disorder. Neither a blood test nor a brain scan can provide conclusive evidence for a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, although researchers are actively working to develop such tests and diagnostic scales Currently, clinicians/professionals rely on observing a child’s behavior to determine the presence of the core symptoms of autism: communication difficulties, lack of social interaction, and repetitive and restricted behaviors.

Autism spectrum disorder can be diagnosed in two steps as follows:

Developmental screening

This is a brief examination that indicates whether a child is learning basic skills easily or is experiencing difficulty. The doctor asks several questions of the child’s parents and the child during the examination to monitor their response in terms of movement, speech, and reactions. Any delays in any of these skills are taken into account.

Comprehensive diagnostic evaluation

It is a comprehensive review, including an assessment of the child’s behavior and development, an interview with the family, and a hearing and vision screening, genetic testing, a neurological examination, and other medical tests.
In some cases, the doctor may choose to refer the child and their family to a specialist for further diagnosis and evaluation. Specialists capable of performing this type of evaluation include:

Pediatric development physician.
Neurologist (pediatrics).
psychologist.
Developing specialized treatment programs and preparing individual treatment plans that are compatible with the developmental and psychological characteristics of people with autism spectrum disorder.
The team may include: a special education specialist, a speech and language pathologist, and an

Autism Spectrum Disorder Screening Test

(M-CHAT) Childhood Autism Spectrum Test

(From 16 to 30 months old) is a test to detect and identify children who are at risk of developing an autism spectrum disorder. The method is that during the child’s regular medical check-up appointments at the ages of 18 and 24 months, the parents are given a checklist test (the Autism Questionnaire in Children). They are asked to answer 20 “yes” or “no” questions about the child’s social, motor, and language skills. Based on the test results, clinicians/specialists use diagnostic tools to determine whether the child has an autism spectrum disorder.

Clinicians/doctors use two types of reliable behavioral tests to diagnose autism spectrum disorder

The team may include: a special education specialist, a speech and language pathologist, and an occupational therapist.

TAutism Diagnostic Interview-R (ADI-R): This is done through a parent interviewt.

Co-occurring disorders of autism spectrum disorder

More than half of people with autism spectrum disorder have four or more co-occurring conditions. The types of co-occurring conditions and how they manifest vary from person to person.

Common disorders associated with autism spectrum disorde:

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression.