What Should I Do If I Suspect I Might Have An Autistic Disorder?
Dr. Ghuman answers the question: 'What Do I Do If I Think I Have Autism?'
Nov. 12, 2008 -- Question: What should I do if I suspect I might have an autistic disorder?
Answer: If you suspect your child may have autism, it's very important that you get your child evaluated by professionals who are experienced in evaluating as well as treating children who have autism. You will want to take your child to see a child psychiatrist or a developmental pediatrician for an initial diagnosis of autism. And as well as, this really would need to be a multidisciplinary assessment, because many times the children with autism also have problems with their communication skills, with cognitive skills and in other areas like sensory issues.
So it's important that the child have a speech, a language and communication assessment, a cognitive assessment and if there is history that the child had developed some skills previously, but now has regressed in those skills, it will be important to get a neurological consultation on that child to make sure that there's not any neurological processes that are going on that should be addressed. As well as a medical evaluation for any issues. For example: any genetic issues or other organic causes that might be contributing to the child's problems. It's important that they be ruled out.
And once the team has completed their evaluation it's important that you meet with them and understand their recommendations so that you can then advocate for your child's treatment needs, because the child is going to need, once again, multidisciplinary interventions in their speech, language -- but not just learning to talk and language -- but in communication skills and social skills.
School intervention is very important. The child would need to be in a classroom with a teacher who is experienced in working with children with autism and making sure that they use multisensory techniques. And these children are many times very good at visual attention so many times the teachers will use visual schedules to get the child to be really functioning in the classroom.
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