Signs of autism can appear before your child’s first birthday, affecting their social, emotional, and communication skills. At Intown Pediatric Behavioral Wellness in Atlanta, Georgia, Jennifer Poulos, Psy.D and her care team approache every child and family with a unique and personalized plan of care for autism. She and the licensed, experienced team perform comprehensive written evaluations and recommend family-centered holistic treatments that take into account the needs of your child and your family. Call today to schedule your appointment.
Autism is a complex developmental condition that influences how children communicate, interact with others, learn, and behave. The condition is also called autism spectrum disorder or ASD.
Autism comes with various subcategories, which are influenced by a combination of environmental factors and family history. The variety of subtypes means that children with autism present with unique sets of strengths and challenges. Part of the role of your provider at Intown Pediatric Behavioral Wellness is identifying these in your child.
Autism can be highly individual. That said, you may notice some of these common indicators of autism in your child:
He or she may also make unusual movements, including spinning in circles, rocking, or flapping hands.
Some delays associated with autism may appear before your child's first birthday. An infant or toddler with autism may fail to respond to their name by 12 months or fail to point to objects they're interested in by 14 months. Most signs of autism are apparent by age 3.
Because science hasn't come up with a medical test for autism, Intown Pediatric Behavioral Wellness diagnoses the condition with a comprehensive psychological assessment. The assessment begins with an initial interview to gather your child’s medical history, review their records, and make preliminary observations of your child.
About 2-4 weeks later, your provider schedules an assessment of your child. The assessment evaluates your child on multiple levels, including but not limited to:
The team at Intown Pediatric Behavioral Wellness scores all assessment measures and interprets the information to provide you with a comprehensive written report. They share their findings with you, reviewing the report in detail so you understand all aspects of your child’s results.
They encourage you to ask questions to ensure you fully understand the results and possible diagnosis. Next, they make personalized recommendations to help your child succeed in all areas of life, including within family relationships and at school.
Autism isn’t curable. However, early intervention services at Intown Pediatric Behavioral Wellness help your child develop and learn essential skills.
To arrange a visit to Intown Pediatric Behavioral Wellness for an autism evaluation, call today or schedule your appointment online.
