Diagnosis of autism
Diagnosis is based on the behavior, signs and symptoms.11 After initial identification, specialists like a child psychologist or a developmental pediatrician do assessments. They use a variety of methods like a standardardized rating scale to identify the disorder. This evaluates the child in a variety of settings to assess communication, play and social behavior.
A structured interview is conducted to gather information from parents about the child’s behavior and early development.
Tests for genetic and neurological problems are done to rule out other conditions similar to autism.
Following are some of the tests performed to rule out other conditions:
- Blood tests (to rule out metabolic disorders)
- Chromosomal analysis (to rule out genetic disorders)
- Comprehensive hearing test (to rule out deafness as the cause of abnormal language development)
- Electroencephalogram (EEG, to rule out seizure disorder)
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scan, to rule out brain disorders)
Next page: Treatment of autism
Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date last updated: April 20, 2012