AUTISM
What is Autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior.
How can Dr. DeSantis & Associates help?
Dr. DeSantis has been helping individuals who struggle with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) for many years. Throughout her career, she has treated children, adolescents, and adults with ASD in hospital settings, mental health clinics, grade schools, colleges, community mental health agencies, residential facilities, private practices, and even in their own homes. Dr. DeSantis & Associates are competent and well-versed in helping individuals who may have ASD to help get the proper testing and resources they need to succeed and reach their fullest potential.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is usually seen before a child is 3 years old. Parents or teachers usually notice that something is different about the child. Whether there are developmental delays, restricted and repetitive behaviors, difficulties with making transitions, avoidance of other children, or communication problems, there are reasons to believe that something appears to be different. Testing can help determine whether these symptoms are in fact related to Autism Spectrum Disorder or something else.
It’s hard to know for sure without a thorough evaluation. This may take some time but is necessary to accurately diagnose Autism Spectrum Disorder, and we are here to guide you every step along the way. Adults may also be tested for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Adults often call us and say that they took notice of these symptoms much earlier in life, but were never tested as a child, and struggled as a result. Now having learned more about the diagnosis, they are interested to confirm their suspicions.
Learning whether or not you meet the criteria for a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder can help provide you with the support and resources you need. Further, it can facilitate the development of 504 plans, individualized education plans (IEP’s), and targeted treatment plans. It can be validating knowing that there is help available. It’s difficult to get the proper treatment and resources in place if the diagnosis isn’t accurate or unknown.
Some facts about Autism:
About one in 44 children has been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) according to estimates from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network
ASD is more than four times more common among boys than among girls
About one in six (approximately 17%) children aged 3–17 years were diagnosed with a developmental disability, as reported by parents, during a study period of 2009-2017; These included autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, blindness, and cerebral palsy, amongst others.
Request an Autism Evaluation
Autism testing is provided by a licensed clinical psychologist, and the tests administered by our team are considered the current gold-standard within our field, which meets DSM-V clinical criteria for an official diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
These tests are extensive, and can help to avoid misdiagnosis, or even correct a past misdiagnosis.
Note: Pricing for services can vary depending on insurance coverage or our self pay option. Dr. DeSantis & Associates will work with you to provide the options that best fit your individual circumstances.
Having Doubts? An Alternative to Testing:
For many reasons—cost, time commitment, uncertainty of symptoms—a full comprehensive evaluation for Autism Spectrum Disorder may not be the first step for you, or may not be an option at this time. For this reason, we have introduced an Autism Pre-Screen for Adults for $39.99.
This short assessment consists of twenty-one (21) multiple-choice questions about your past and current behaviors, and can determine if you exhibit many of the traits which are associated with undiagnosed ASD.