Neurodivergence simply means a person’s brain functions, learns, and maybe processes information differently. This includes a number of diagnoses such as Autism, ADHD, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), dyslexia, and many more.
If you are considering an evaluation for yourself or a family member to determine possible neurodivergence our clinic offers evaluations for Autism and ADHD with myself or Dr. Marianna Wright. We are both certified to diagnose Autism through the Center of Excellence training that is available with Washington state and have been diagnosing patients for numerous years.
When seeking a diagnosis for a new condition it can be daunting to figure out the process. The following is a guide to walk you through what to expect for the evaluation.
Step 1: Consult with Your Pediatrician for an Evaluation Referral
The first thing to do if you want an evaluation for your child is to see their pediatrician. They will use a screening questionnaire and ask you some questions about your concerns regarding your child’s behavior.
Then if they agree that an evaluation is appropriate, you will receive a referral to a group called Single Entry Access to Services (SEAS). This organization supports families and clinics in Whatcom County to ensure children find the correct clinic for evaluation and to support any families that may otherwise fall through the crack between referral and evaluation.
Next, you will be contacted by a representative of SEAS to discuss your concerns and determine which clinic fits your needs. Referrals can be sent to multiple clinics and this is always a good idea since the demand for evaluation often creates long waitlists.
Step 2: Request Evaluation by Certified Autism Professional
Once you have determined you would like to work with our team for your evaluation, SEAS will send our office your pediatrician’s referral. Our front office will call you to schedule an appointment and provide the paperwork to complete prior to your initial appointment.
It is ideal if you can also upload other pertinent documents to your child’s patient portal prior to that first appointment. These include:
- School IEP
- School district evaluations
- Any other evaluations by other therapists (OT, speech therapy, PT).
Our office also typically asks for a Teacher Interview form to be filled out inquiring about how the child acts in school, any concerning behaviors, and what they are like with their peers.
If you are seeking an ADHD evaluation as well, you will be asked to fill out a Vanderbilt questionnaire prior to the appointment.
Step 3: Executing the Autism Evaluation
Now onto the actual evaluation! The evaluation consists of three appointments.
Appointment 1: Background
The goal of this telehealth appointment is to walk through the medical and behavioral history for the individual undergoing evaluation.
Throughout the 90-minute appointment you will be asked many questions relating to how you/your child communicates and interacts with others.
Pre-Visit Prep:
Prior to this appointment, it can be helpful to write down behaviors you have noticed over the years and talk with others who know your child well as they might have things they have noticed.
It is best to hold this appointment without the child present due to the duration and need to discuss things that will not benefit them to hear.
Appointment 2: In-Person Observation
This is the in-person observation appointment in our office.
It also typically lasts 90 minutes as many people take some time to warm up to the clinic environment and meet a new person before they are ready to really relax and show us who they are.
At this time we are interested in seeing how the individual interacts with us, the activities we provide, and the clinic environment as a whole. This is our chance to observe any behaviors that were discussed in the initial appointment. We also do a physical exam similar to your pediatrician.
What you tell your child about this appointment is up to you. Since you know them best, we let you decide how much detail you want to give them about the appointment as we understand each child and family are different in how they discuss this.
You can tell them they are seeing a doctor who will play some games with them, or if they are older and aware of the reason for the visit you can discuss that as well.
Pre-Visit Prep:
For younger children you can bring a drink in a water bottle or cup with a lid and a snack. Avoid scheduling the visit during their typical napping time or just after school if they tend to be tired.
We will ask you to be in the waiting room while we evaluate your child as children often seek parental input for behavior or parents often step in to adjust or correct interactions.
The exam room is very close to the waiting room and sometimes kids leave the exam to go say hi to Mom or get a hug partway through. Some kids like to elope, and this does happen occasionally from the exam room to the waiting room, so we ask that you stay on the premises during the appointment.
Appointment 3: Review Appointment
This 45-minute telehealth appointment will take place after we have received and reviewed all the paperwork requested and done the in-person evaluation.
We will review whether the individual meets the criteria for the diagnosis and can discuss what behaviors support or don’t support the diagnosis. If a diagnosis is uncertain, we may refer a family on for further testing.
If a diagnosis is given, then we discuss therapeutic options to provide you with support. These options can include:
- Occupational therapy
- Speech therapy
- ABA therapy
- Books
- Websites
- Local organizations
There are many excellent resources in our community that we can provide. Families can then move on and use their pediatrician for further guidance or continue to follow up with our clinicians.
A Final Thought
This may seem like a daunting process, but remember it just takes starting with Step 1 and taking each step at a time. Our office is here to answer any questions you may have and support your family through the evaluation process.
