Autism Spectrum Assessment

Diagnosis criteria for autism has changed frequently over the years as research provides better understanding. Dr. Adrienne Perry and Rosemary Condillac in their guide indicates it is important that the whole assessment process be tied to the most recent professional literature and the process be based on evidence-based evaluation of measures and procedures. Clinical practice should be consistent with relevant legislation, professional college regulations, standards, and ethics. In Ontario, RHPA requires that diagnosis may only be performed by registered professionals of the College of Psychologists or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. (Perry & Condillac, 2003)

What is the name of the test? The name of this test is Autism Spectrum Rating Scales (ASRS).

The first review of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Second Edition was authored by KORESSA KUTSICK MALCOLM, School Psychologist, The Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind, Staunton, VA. The second edition of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale was developed for use a wider array of health care professionals as well as to establish general characteristics of children with autism who exhibit higher intellectual ability. They also made slight changes to the format of the rating book. The test comes in three forms; The Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Second Edition–Standard Version, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Second Edition–High-Functioning Version and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Second

Some children with autism have a sharp mind while others have marked deficits in intellectual, social, and cognitive functioning. Restated, it is a spectrum disorder, which means that every child formally diagnosed has abnormalities which can be charted within a broad spectrum of measures and labels. Many times it can be argued that labels are designed and assigned to help us gain knowledge with respect to a specific person or group of people to whom the label has been applied. Within this context, labels can sometimes be viewed as a positive, if not helpful device when classifying. However, when it comes to autism, this does not appear to be the case. There is a wide range of presenting characteristics, some people with autism are severely affected, while others are less affected. Within this general review of the data and literature, the authors have found that those who are diagnosed with severe autism, and who are also described as being mentally retarded on measurable scales, make the least amount of improvement in IQ, adaptive/social functioning, and overall language ability. Therefore, the primary contention made by the authors is that, the main predictors of outcome when it comes to Intensive Behavioural Intervention for people with autism, are the severity of the disorder and overall IQ prior to the commencement of

Every year one in 68 Americans is diagnosed with autism. There are more than 3.5 million Americans living with an autism spectrum disorder (Autism Society), which makes it the fastest growing developmental disorder in the United States, hence the significant amount of studies being done to explore its characteristics and find solutions. Autism, also known as ASD, is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that is categorized by dysfunctions in social situations, communications, constrained interests, and repetitive stereotypic behaviors (Siniscalco et al). These behaviors can range from mild to very severe, and may be accompanied with other disorders. Autism can be diagnosed during early childhood, while symptoms begin to show during the first

Autism spectrum disorder is an umbrella term used in diagnosing a collection of developmental disorders of the brain that vary in severity1. People with ASD may have trouble with social interactions, problems with different types of communication, may practice repetitive actions or behaviors1,2, struggle with paying attention, and suffer from motor disfunctions1. ASD is usually diagnosed in children between the ages of 2 and 3, this early diagnosis is very beneficial because it leads to intervention which intern leads to more positive outcomes later in life1. ASD affects 1 in every 68 American children1 and is 4-5 times more common in boys than girls1. Prevalence of this disease is on the rise, with a 10-17% increases in cases per-year1, which could be due to improved diagnostic methods, environmental factors, and other reasons that are unknown1. One well established diagnostic tool is the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) which is 15-point rating scale3 used to diagnose children with ASD and determine its severity2. Another less accredited, but still informative diagnostic tool is the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC)2 which differs from the CARS because it is a parent rater form of measurment2. ASD has no cure, but there have been studies that show behavioral outbursts can be reduced with the use of certain movements and breathing techniques4. This encourages confidence that more aspects of ASD can be improved with similar methods.

The diagnosis of students of autism brings long-term effects that can increase the functionality of the child 's life. As we know, early diagnosis is key producing long-term effects whenever families and parents are diligent in getting their children help. Throughout the diagnosis process, it is imperative to take every element into account. Considerations such as race, culture, and socioeconomic status may affect the validity and reliability of the test. Although the test can be administered exactly as it should be, there are many different characteristics of the child in their upbringing that can affect the outcome of the results.

As research into autism spectrum disorders has increased over recent years and this has resulted in changes to the way that American psychiatry diagnoses autism spectrum disorders. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) is used by clinicians as a guide to diagnoses of mental health illnesses and since its first publication in 1930’s it has been updated every 20 years, and these updates reflect on new research and discoveries.

There are many evidence – based assessment tools that are used when diagnosing children who demonstrate symptoms of ASD. However, this paper will outline two assessment tools used when identifying ASD. One intervention used for assessing children with ASD is called the Autism Diagnostic Interview, Revised (ADI-R). The second assessment tool is Autism Diagnostic and Observation Schedule (ADOS).

2014). With the recent release of the DSM-V, these have all been combined under one diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and are differentiated through the use of numerical scales to describe severity of effect. Primary diagnostic tests used are the Checklist for Autism Spectrum Disorder, Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and Gilliam Asperger’s Disorder Scale (GADS). The Checklist for Autism Spectrum Disorder is the only checklist or rating scale designed to evaluate children with either low or high functioning autism spectrum disorder. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale or CARS is used because it has the best psychometric support for children with low functioning autism when compared with other autism rating scales. The Gilliam Asperger’s Disorder Scale or GADS is used because it is the only scale for high functioning autistic children in the age range of early childhood to adolescence (Mayes, S. D., Calhoun, S., Murray, M., et al. 2009). Through the use of these diagnostic tools to determine the evidence of a PDD and its severity of symptomatic characteristics, a subject can be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and classified into severity of autism.

Diagnosing children with any disorder is difficult, due to the fact that development occurs rapidly in the first years of a child’s life in social, emotional, and cognitive areas (Barlow & Durand, 2012). A child’s development can be influenced in many ways, such as socioeconomically or by how emotionally supportive the parent is (Combs-Orme, Orme, & Lefmann, 2013). Diagnosing children with specific disorders proves to be more difficult considering the overlap of symptoms that occurs between the conditions (Phetrasuwan, Miles, Mesibov, & Robinson, 2009). Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a category of disorders that characterizes those with severe impairments in social

One can state that the ASD is challenging to be: diagnosed, treated, and assessed. In this paper, high

Life as a human is full of mystery and discovery. Throughout history, people have set out to learn more about the world and the people inhabiting it. In the process, they gained knowledge about a disorder that is now referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), or simply Autism. ASD is a developmental disorder that results in difficulty in social interactions, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Researchers have come a long way in gathering knowledge about the complex disorder since it was first discovered. Many of its aspects have been discovered and redefined to shape the disorder that is diagnosed and studied today. However, much like many other well-known psychological disorders, autism has yet to be fully understood; instead,

Tens of millions of people have been diagnosed with Autism worldwide, effecting both genders, all races, ethnicities and people from all socioeconomic classes. In 2010 a Surveillance Summary was conducted in the United States, where it identified that one in 68 children are diagnosed with Autism (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). It has been recognised

Autism is a recently officially recognized mental disorder that an estimated one in 68 children in the United States is diagnosed with. As one of the fastest growing developmental disorders, autism has become more common than diabetes and cancer in children, with approximately 250,000 autistic children between the ages of 6 and 21 receiving special education services in 2007, a staggering difference from the 54,000 in 1998 (Saunders, 2010). There is speculation whether this large difference is due to the actual rise in the disorder or a result of increased awareness, or both. Regardless, autism diagnoses are deemed to be rising 10 to 17 percent every year according to the advocate group Autism Speaks..