Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how a person communicates, interacts socially, and processes the world around them. No two children with autism present the same way — the “spectrum” reflects a wide range of strengths, challenges, and support needs.
An autism evaluation is a structured clinical assessment designed to determine whether a child’s behavioral, developmental, and communication patterns are consistent with a diagnosis of ASD. The evaluation draws on direct observation, clinical interviews, caregiver input, and standardized assessment tools.
A formal diagnosis opens the door to services, supports, educational accommodations, and therapies that can dramatically improve a child’s quality of life — and help families navigate with greater confidence and clarity.
💡 Early diagnosis matters. Research consistently shows that children who receive appropriate support earlier experience better long-term developmental outcomes.
Our autism diagnostic service is designed for children in Nevada whose families are concerned about developmental differences, social communication challenges, or behaviors that may point toward autism. Whether you’re seeking a first-time evaluation or a second opinion, we’re here to help.
Early evaluation is especially impactful. If your toddler or preschooler shows delays in speech, limited social engagement, or repetitive behaviors, an early assessment can unlock critical early intervention services.
Early evaluation is especially impactful. If your toddler or preschooler shows delays in speech, limited social engagement, or repetitive behaviors, an early assessment can unlock critical early intervention services.
Early evaluation is especially impactful. If your toddler or preschooler shows delays in speech, limited social engagement, or repetitive behaviors, an early assessment can unlock critical early intervention services.
Early evaluation is especially impactful. If your toddler or preschooler shows delays in speech, limited social engagement, or repetitive behaviors, an early assessment can unlock critical early intervention services.
Early evaluation is especially impactful. If your toddler or preschooler shows delays in speech, limited social engagement, or repetitive behaviors, an early assessment can unlock critical early intervention services.
Early evaluation is especially impactful. If your toddler or preschooler shows delays in speech, limited social engagement, or repetitive behaviors, an early assessment can unlock critical early intervention services.
Early evaluation is especially impactful. If your toddler or preschooler shows delays in speech, limited social engagement, or repetitive behaviors, an early assessment can unlock critical early intervention services.
Early evaluation is especially impactful. If your toddler or preschooler shows delays in speech, limited social engagement, or repetitive behaviors, an early assessment can unlock critical early intervention services.
Early evaluation is especially impactful. If your toddler or preschooler shows delays in speech, limited social engagement, or repetitive behaviors, an early assessment can unlock critical early intervention services.
Early evaluation is especially impactful. If your toddler or preschooler shows delays in speech, limited social engagement, or repetitive behaviors, an early assessment can unlock critical early intervention services.
Early evaluation is especially impactful. If your toddler or preschooler shows delays in speech, limited social engagement, or repetitive behaviors, an early assessment can unlock critical early intervention services.
Early evaluation is especially impactful. If your toddler or preschooler shows delays in speech, limited social engagement, or repetitive behaviors, an early assessment can unlock critical early intervention services.
Our evaluation is thorough, compassionate, and centered around both your child and your family. Here’s what to expect from start to finish.
Contact My Psychiatry Care to book your child's evaluation. Our team will gather basic intake information and answer any initial questions about the process, timeline, and cost. This is a cash-pay service while our Nevada insurance contracts are being finalized. In person visits ONLY.
Before the appointment, parents or guardians will be asked to complete detailed developmental history forms and standardized behavioral questionnaires. We may also request input from your child's school or pediatrician. This background information is essential for an accurate assessment. This is where you will provide your child's school records, school psychologist cognitive assessment or Pediatrician screening.
Our clinician will conduct a structured interview with the parent or caregiver to explore your child's developmental history, family history, current behaviors, social functioning, and your specific concerns. This is your opportunity to share everything you've observed.
Our clinician will interact directly with your child using structured and semi-structured activities designed to assess social communication, play, language, and behavior. This is conducted in a calm, child-friendly environment. Depending on your child's age and needs, this portion may last one to several hours. This is where ADOS 2 will be performed in office.
Following the evaluation session(s), our clinician will score and analyze all assessment data, review questionnaire results, integrate clinical observations, and formulate clinical impressions. This thorough review process ensures accuracy and nuance in the final report.
You'll receive a comprehensive written evaluation report detailing findings, diagnostic conclusions, your child's strengths and challenges, and specific recommendations. We'll also schedule a feedback appointment to walk through the report together and answer your questions. You'll never be left to figure it out alone. This will be a Telemedicine visit.
There is no single test that can diagnose autism. Instead, a thorough evaluation pulls together parent interviews, developmental history, and direct observation of your child — often supported by standardized screening and diagnostic tools. Below is an overview of the instruments most commonly used in pediatric autism assessment, so you know what to expect and why each one matters.
Screening tools
Screening Tools are typically used earlier in the process to identify whether a child may be showing signs of autism and would benefit from a full diagnostic evaluation. Most are completed by parents or caregivers.
The Autism Spectrum Rating Scales (ASRS) are standardized parent and teacher questionnaires used to help identify behaviors and developmental patterns commonly associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The ASRS helps evaluate social communication, behavioral patterns, sensory concerns, attention, peer interactions, and autism-related symptoms across multiple environments, including home and school/daycare settings. Information gathered from caregivers and teachers provides valuable insight into how a child functions in everyday settings and helps support a comprehensive autism evaluation.
Designed for infants and toddlers up to 24 months. Parents report how often specific communication and symbolic behaviors appear, helping flag early red flags before verbal language fully develops. This is typically already completed
A general, open-ended questionnaire completed by parents for children from birth through age 18. It screens development, behavior, social-emotional health, and autism risk, and is designed to encourage ongoing conversations between families and their pediatrician.
A one-page, parent-completed questionnaire for children 16 to 30 months old. Results are categorized as low, moderate, or high risk for ASD based on social, emotional, communicative, and developmental behaviors. This is one of the most widely used early screeners.
A brief assessment for children over age 2 that combines two 15-item rating scales with a parent/caregiver questionnaire. he Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Second Edition (CARS-2) is a standardized assessment tool used to help evaluate autism-related behaviors, social communication patterns, emotional responses, sensory differences, and repetitive behaviors commonly associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The CARS-2 helps assess the severity and presentation of autism symptoms by combining clinical observation, caregiver information, and developmental history. The assessment may help identify both classic and higher-functioning presentations of autism depending on the child’s developmental and communication abilities.
The Vineland-3 (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Third Edition) is a standardized assessment used to evaluate a child’s adaptive functioning and daily living skills. Adaptive functioning refers to how a child manages everyday activities compared to other children of the same age. The Vineland-3 helps assess important areas of functioning including communication, socialization, daily living skills, coping abilities, emotional regulation, and independence. This assessment provides valuable information about how a child functions at home, school, and in community settings.
ADOS 2, A semi-structured, observation-based assessment that lets the clinician directly observe social interaction, communication, play, and imaginative use of materials. The ADOS-2 is widely considered the gold-standard tool for autism assessment (see the callout below for more detail). The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) is a comprehensive, standardized diagnostic interview used as part of the evaluation process for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The ADI-R is considered one of the primary evidence-based tools used in comprehensive autism assessments. The ADI-R is completed through a detailed caregiver interview focused on a child’s developmental history, communication development, social interaction patterns, behavioral functioning, sensory experiences, repetitive behaviors, emotional responses, and developmental milestones across childhood.
A Closer Look at the ADOS-2
The ADOS-2 is one of the most trusted tools in autism assessment — and it is a key part of the comprehensive evaluations we provide. Unlike questionnaires that rely on parent report, the ADOS-2 is a direct-observation assessment. The clinician interacts with your child in real time using structured and semi-structured activities designed to draw out social, communicative, and play behaviors. It is suitable for individuals as young as 12 months through adulthood.
The Five ADOS-2 Modules:
| Module | Who it’s for |
|---|---|
| Toddler module | Ages 12–30 months who do not yet use phrase speech |
| Module 1 | Over 30 months, not using phrase speech |
| Module 2 | Using phrase speech but not yet verbally fluent |
| Module 3 | Verbally fluent children and adolescents |
| Module 4 | Verbally fluent older adolescents and adults |
Each module typically takes 30 to 60 minutes and includes activities such as free play, storytelling, pretend play, or conversational tasks depending on the child’s developmental level. Throughout, our clinician observes and scores behaviors such as eye contact, response to name, use of gestures, shared enjoyment, and repetitive actions.
The ADOS-2 is a powerful tool, but it is only one piece of the diagnostic picture. We always pair it with developmental history, parent and caregiver interviews, and other standardized measures to arrive at a well-rounded, accurate diagnosis.
The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Fourth Edition (Bayley-4) is a standardized developmental assessment used to evaluate developmental functioning in infants and young children. uses structured, play-based activities to evaluate developmental functioning in young children. It assesses cognitive development, communication and language skills, problem-solving abilities, motor development, social-emotional functioning, and adaptive behaviors. The Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, Second Edition (KBIT-2) is a standardized cognitive assessment used to estimate verbal and nonverbal cognitive functioning in children and adolescents. The KBIT-2 helps evaluate problem-solving abilities, verbal reasoning, nonverbal reasoning, language-based thinking skills, and overall cognitive functioning. This assessment may provide valuable information about a child’s learning style, developmental functioning, and cognitive strengths and weaknesses. Can the child: solve reasoning tasks? identify patterns? answer verbal questions? demonstrate intellectual reasoning?
The MIGDAS-2 (Monteiro Interview Guidelines for Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder, Second Edition) is a structured, sensory-based autism assessment tool used to help better understand social communication, sensory experiences, behavioral patterns, emotional responses, and autism-related characteristics. The MIGDAS-2 uses interactive discussion, observation, and sensory-based activities to help evaluate how a child experiences and interacts with the world around them. This assessment may provide valuable insight into communication style, social understanding, sensory processing differences, emotional regulation, interests, routines, and behavioral patterns commonly associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Comprehensive autism evaluations are typically completed over approximately 3–4 visits depending on the child’s age, developmental level, cooperation, and testing needs Young children may need additional breaks or multiple sessions.
A diagnosis supports the development of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and 504 plans, ensuring your child receives the in-school support they're legally entitled to.
Parents and caregivers are an essential part of the process. You will be involved in both the preparation (questionnaires) and the evaluation itself (caregiver interview). Your observations and insights are invaluable clinical data.
Expect to receive your written report within 30-60 days after the evaluation is complete. The report is detailed, readable, and written for families. It includes the diagnosis, clinical reasoning, and specific next-step recommendations.
If the evaluation does not result in an autism diagnosis, that information is still valuable. We will share what we observed, rule out other possible explanations, and provide any relevant referrals or recommendations.
Our relationship with your family doesn't end after the report. We're available to answer questions, assist with referrals to therapists and specialists, and provide ongoing psychiatric care as needed within our practice.
Our autism evaluation service for children is currently offered on a cash-pay / self-pay. We are actively working to finalize our Texas, Iowa, Washington, Arizona, and Pennsylvania insurance contracts, and we anticipate accepting insurance in the near future.
We understand that evaluation costs can feel significant. Please contact our office directly to discuss pricing, payment plans, and available options. We’re committed to making this process as accessible as possible for Nevada families. Final payments are due before report is given
We recommend that patients check with their insurance provider, as some plans may offer out-of-network reimbursement for psychiatric diagnostic services — your insurer may reimburse a portion of the evaluation cost even without an in-network contract.
Autism evaluations require in-person clinical observation and direct interaction with your child, so this service is conducted in person at our Texas, Iowa, Washington, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. Telehealth is only appropriate for autism diagnostic assessments in the initial interview phase.
Autism can be reliably diagnosed as early as age 2, and early diagnosis is strongly encouraged. We evaluate children across a wide age range from toddlers through adolescence. Earlier diagnosis allows for earlier access to intervention services, which research shows leads to better outcomes.
There is no single test that can diagnose autism. A diagnosis is made by a qualified clinician based on a comprehensive review of behavioral history, direct clinical observation, caregiver interviews, and standardized assessment tools. Our clinicians integrate all of this information using established diagnostic criteria (DSM-5) to reach a clinical conclusion.
Take the first step toward understanding your child’s unique needs. Our team is here to guide your family through every part of the evaluation process with expertise, warmth, and respect.
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Location: 2717 Commercial Center Blvd
Katy, TX 77494
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