Everything You Need To Know About Autism: Parent’s Guide by Neurogen - HTML preview

Who handles the diagnosis of a child with Autism?

What are the various investigations which an autistic child undergoes?

• IT IS NOT ONEPERSON BUT A TEAM OF DOCTORS WHO PLAY A PART IN THE DIAGNOSIS (Multi-disciplinary approach)

Diagnosis of autism in most cases happens much later in the formative years mostly due to lack of awareness amongst parents. Quite sometime goes by before the parent notices that something might not be right with their child. But once parents observe that their child may need a little extra attention, a number of evaluations are conducted even before testing and investigation. This usually involves the input of:

• The Developmental Paediatrician
• Psychiatrist
• The Clinical Psychologist
• The Occupational Therapist
• The Speech and Language Pathologist
• The Physiotherapist

The diagnosis is never done by one person. It involves a whole team of doctors dedicated to improving a child's quality of living.

• THE INVESTIGATIONS THAT FOLLOW DIAGNOSIS

Once the diagnosis is done, investigations are conducted to ensure that the analysis is accurate. This is also done with the aim of identifying the extent of the condition. The investigations that go into this process are as follows.

• Neuro-imaging studies (MRI/CT/PET-CT/SPECT/FMRI)
• PET-CT scan
• Electroencephalography (EEG)
• Brain Stem Evoked Response Audiometry (BERA)
• Metabolic screening
• Genetic testing

Each of these tests has a specific aim that helps understand the extent of development of the brain better and gives direction to the treatment that follows.