AUTISM EVALUATION

PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS FOR CHILDREN

Autism Evaluations

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder cannot wait. Early intervention and targeted therapy can lead to tremendous gains for children with autism; however, for insurance companies to cover services such as ABA, children typically need a diagnosis of Autism. if you are paying privately for ABA services, an autism evaluation which will allow these services to be covered by insurance will be well worth the investment.

Autism has become much more well-known and better identified in children over the years, but there are many adults whose families and educators were unaware of this diagnosis when they were children. After years of feeling that something was different, many adults come to learn about autism after meeting friends who are familiar with ASD or having a relative diagnosed. Getting a good adult autism evaluation can be tricky for several reasons, but it can be really important for people to help them understand themselves and be able to better navigate the social world.

An Autism Evaluation Consists of:

An individualized evaluation based on the needs of the child or adult.
A written report of results
An explanation of results, with recommendations and next steps for suggested followup. The goal is that by the end of this process, you have a clear understanding of the individual’s strengths and needs and a vision of what supports you might need moving forward.
All work is completed by a licensed psychologist with more than 10 years’ experience of psychological testing in children and adults.

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If you are looking for services for yourself or your child, send us a message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Psychological testing can provide direction.

For many families, a psychological evaluation is a new experience and they may have many questions about the evaluation and their child’s prognosis. For other families, especially those who have been on this path for some time, they may have a good idea of what to expect and just need an evaluation to check a box for their insurance company. They may not need to spend extra time on extensive interpretation or discussion. I am happy to accommodate what is right for your family.

Dr. Myszak is comfortable assessing children as young as 16 months for early signs of autism up through adults of any age. Her experience allows her to meet the needs of different types of clients, rather than using a “cookie-cutter” approach. Adult clients who are seeking a diagnosis later in life may not need a full evaluation, but may benefit from consultation to better understand their strengths and weaknesses. Dr. Myszak is aware of the different ways that autism can present in girls and women, and some of the testing and interviews with females focuses on their experience of “camouflaging” their symptoms and their internal experiences involving socialization. She is familiar with the concepts of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), which many families have found and identify with.

Autism Evaluations may include (but are not limited to):

ADOS-2 (Modified at this time due to telehealth), a structured observation for symptoms of autism
CARS-2, a checklist of symptoms associated with autism
ADI-R, a structured developmental interview focusing on early symptoms of autism
SCQ, a checklist for symptoms of autism
Vineland-3, an interview about adaptive functioning
CAT-Q, a rating scale about camouflaging symptoms
Measures of Visual Motor Integration
Measures of child development
Cognitive measures
Achievement/Academic Measures
Measures of Sensory processing
Measures of Executive Functioning
Social Language and Social Pragmatic Assessments
Other Qualitative Measures of Possible Autism Symptoms
MIGDAS-2 Diagnostic Interview

Dr. Myszak has been doing autism testing with children and adults for over 10 years, and she is excited to be adapting to the current needs of the community by offering online services to ensure that children and families can receive the services they need in a safe and timely manner. She does not work with any students or trainees, and she personally completes all of the work that goes into each psychological evaluation. She takes pride in being able to help families learn about their child and learn what they can do to help them moving forward. In addition to providing a written report of results, she writes referrals for services and shares information with your other care providers at your request. She wants you to walk away from an evaluation with a clear understanding of your child’s strengths and needs and knowledge of what to do next to support your child.

Autism Evaluations are private pay, and fees are due at the time of service. The cost of an evaluation ranges, depending on what needs to be done and how long it will take. There is a $150 charge for the first consultation appointment, and we will discuss an estimation of the total cost at that time. Typically, half of the remainder is due at the next appointment, and the remaining half is due at the following appointment. If you would like, documentation (a superbill) of services can be provided so you can submit it to your insurance company for reimbursement. Depending on your insurance benefits, your deductible, and your out of network coverage, you may be able to get most of this cost reimbursed to you, but it is your responsibility to call your insurance company to ask about your benefits. (Additionally, due to many insurance plan’s high deductibles, the out of pocket cost may differ very little from what you would pay for an insurance-covered evaluation.)

Get an evaluation scheduled today. For questions or to schedule an appointment, email drmyszak@helpandhealingcenter.com

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