Autism Testing in St. George, UT
Autism Assessment and Testing
As part of our therapy programs we offer autism diagnostic testing for children 6 and under.
Some signs your child may benefit from testing would be:
Communication delays, atypical communication patterns, delayed social development, atypical social interactions, difficulty regulating behavior/emotions, repetitive behavior patterns, obsessive or compulsive tendencies, or sensory issues?
Communication Delays
A child isn’t using words or has less words than other children his/her age. A child may not be able to use sentences to communicate effectively. A child may not understand questions, directions, or statements as well as other children. A child may not understand nonverbal gestures, facial expressions, or body language.
Atypical Communication Patterns
A child may repeat words or phrases to himself. A child may not respond to questions or directions in a typical manner. A child may only talk about topics that interest him/her. A child may ignore social questions from others. A child may talk using an atypical tone, rate, or rhythm than others. A child may make statements that others find odd or unusual.
Delayed Social Development
A child doesn’t make quality eye contact, doesn’t respond to the social attempts of others, doesn’t observe other people in a typical manner, isn’t interested in others, and/or doesn’t engage in typical activities. The child struggles to engage peers in an age appropriate manner.
Atypical Social Interactions
A child may have interest in peers but doesn’t understand how to engage peers appropriately. A child may make odd or unusual statements to peers. The child may break accepted social norms with peers. The child may not understand personal space or turn taking. The child may not respond to peers. A child may be controlling or aggressive to peers.
Difficulty Regulating Emotions/Behaviors
A child may get overly upset over minor changes in schedules, routines, or expectations. A child may have extreme emotional outbursts that last a long time. The child may not tolerate unexpected or unwanted demands, expectations, activities, objects, places, or people. The child may not follow rules, routines, directions, or behavior norms.
Obsessive/Compulsive Tendencies
A child may repeat words, behaviors, or acts over and over. A child may obsess about certain objects, activities, or routines. A child may be extremely rigid in his behavior and may not tolerate unwanted demands, expectations, activities, objects, places, or people.
Sensory Issues
A child may be overly sensory seeking or sensory avoiding. For example a child may not tolerate certain sounds, sensations, lights, crowds, textures, touches, smells, colors, etc. Or a child may obsessively seek out certain textures, sensations, smells, sounds, motions, etc.
A child on the spectrum may not show all of the symptoms above but may have a combination of some of them. If your child is showing any of these types of symptoms it may be worth getting your child screened and/or assessed for an Autism Spectrum Disorder. We provide free autism screenings for children 6 and under. If necessary we can then also provide comprehensive diagnostic testing.
What does autism testing look like?
Autism testing generally involves interviews with parents, filling out questionnaires, observations, and directed play activities. The entire process can take anywhere from 1-3 hours. The information gathered is scored on standardized measures and allows for comparison with typical children and children on the autism spectrum. Some of the main measures that may be used are the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), the Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI), and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale.
Parents are with their child during the entire assessment. Testing sessions are filled with toys and fun activities for children. Children generally find the sessions fun and enjoyable.
After testing a written report will be generated.
Treatment Recommendations
After diagnostic testing is completed we will recommend the next steps. Every client and family’s unique needs, strengths, and circumstances will be considered in developing an individual treatment plan. We have many different avenues of therapy available. See our treatment section for more detailed information on options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to common questions we receive about autism testing.
What Causes Autism?
The exact cause of autism is unknown. However, research would suggest genetic and neurological factors all play a role in autism diagnoses.
When Should You Test for Autism?
Experts can perform an autism assessment and testing on children as young as 18 months. Most experts recommend getting children tested between ages 2-3 if they are showing symptoms. Early identification and treatment have been shown to improve outcomes for children with ASD.