
At Hart 4 Autism, we know that the world of autism can be overwhelming. While most people have somewhat of an understanding of what autism is, it's a whole new ball game when it becomes part of your daily life.
First Things First: Obtaining An Autism Diagnosis for Your Child
Many services exist to help children and families navigate living with autism, but the majority of those services require an official diagnosis due to insurance requirements. This may come from your child's primary care physician, or a professional they've referred you to. What you will need is a Comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluation (CDE) that includes an ADOS-2 assessment, among others. The assessment will provide an accurate diagnosis, as well as the level of autism the child has.
There are three levels of autism, as follows:
Level 1: Level 1 is considered "mild," and can feature social difficulties, routine rigidity, uncoordinated movements, repetitive behaviors, hyper-fixations and more. In the past, you may have heard this level referred to as Asperger's Syndrome.
Level 2: A more moderate level, Level 2 varies with skill level and potentially aggressive behaviors.
Level 3: The more several level, Level 3 includes features of the other levels, as well as a tendency toward aggressive behavior toward themselves and others. Often, these children are non-verbal with difficulties in communicating in a meaningful way.
Determining what level your child is at helps determine the services needed, but it's important to remember that autism is an ever-changing spectrum. Levels can change when effective therapy is put into place.
Once the assessment has been completed and a diagnosis has been made, it's time to ask your doctor for a referral letter. The letter will need to state the diagnosis information and a recommendation for ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) Therapy.
ABA Therapy Is The Recommended Therapy for An Autism Diagnosis
ABA Therapy is considered one of the best therapies available, with scientific evidence to back up the effectiveness. When looking for an ABA Therapist, we highly recommend doing your research to ensure ethical practices are in place. Find reviews, ask to observe, and talk to other parents. ABA Therapy begins with an assessment by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, or BCBA. The BCBA will oversee the child's program and should provide parent training as part of the therapy. If parent training is not offered, please look for another provider.
Once you have chosen an ABA Provider, you will give them your signed CDE and referral letter. They will submit this information to insurance on your behalf to request a pre-authorization which will allow them to schedule a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) for your child. That information will be used to determine recommended service hours, that will again need to be sent to insurance for approval for ongoing direct therapy hours. This process can vary depending on the insurance provider, with turnaround times ranging from a couple of weeks to a month or longer. Re-authorization will need to be obtained by your ABA provider around every six months to continue services. Please note that your insurance company may request an updated CDE every few years.
Once approved, the behavior plan will be implemented. This can look a variety of different ways, with the most common forms being center-based programs, in-home programs, community and in-school support. The plan of action will be customized to your family's specific needs and goals.
Contact Hart4Autism for Your Autism Diagnosis
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For those local to Florida, Dr. Kerri Duncan and the team at Hart 4 Autism are available to provide ADOS-2 Assessments to help your family move forward. We offer an expedited turnaround time on providing a diagnosis to help move the process along as quickly as possible for you. Please reach out to request an appointment or to ask any questions you might have regarding autism assessments or parent coaching opportunities.
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