Autism screening & diagnostic support 

No. A screener is not a diagnostic tool and cannot confirm or rule out an autism diagnosis. It's designed to identify whether your child may be at risk and whether further evaluation is worth pursuing. Many children who receive a high-risk score turn out not to have autism, and some autistic children score low on screeners. If you have concerns about your child's development, a full autism evaluation with a qualified specialist is the best next step.

In the U.S., autism is diagnosed by qualified medical and mental health professionals through a comprehensive evaluation. This process may include direct observation, developmental history, caregiver interviews, and standardized diagnostic tools to determine whether a child meets criteria for autism spectrum disorder. Many children can be evaluated as early as 18 months old.

Professionals who may diagnose autism include:

• Developmental pediatricians
• Child psychologists or neuropsychologists
• Child psychiatrists
• Pediatric neurologists

Board Certified Behavior Analysts^® (BCBAs^®) may support the evaluation process, but a formal autism diagnosis is typically made by one of the specialists listed above.

A diagnosis is a starting point, not an ending. It gives your family clarity, direction, and access to supports that can help your child learn and grow. Your child is the same person they were before the diagnosis. It simply gives you a clearer picture of how they experience the world and how to support them best.

After a diagnosis, your child's pediatrician may recommend therapies based on your child's individual needs. One commonly recommended option is ABA therapy. At ABC, a BCBA completes an initial assessment and builds a personalized plan for your child based on family goals. Our admissions team also works with insurance providers to verify coverage before services begin. Contact us to learn about ABA therapy availability in your area or to schedule a tour of your nearest ABC center.

Autism became a formal medical diagnosis in the U.S. in 1980, when the American Psychiatric Association recognized “Infantile Autism” in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III). This marked an important shift by separating autism from childhood schizophrenia and creating consistent diagnostic criteria.

Over time, the understanding of autism expanded, leading to today’s diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Key milestones include:

• 1943: Leo Kanner described early infantile autism
• 1980 (DSM-III): Autism recognized as a formal diagnosis
• 1987 (DSM-III-R): Criteria expanded, renamed Autistic Disorder
• 1994 (DSM-IV): Autism-related conditions grouped under Pervasive Developmental Disorders (including Asperger’s syndrome), laying the groundwork for viewing autism as a "spectrum"
• 2013 (DSM-5): All related diagnoses were unified under ASD, the standard used today