,

Autism Test

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) encompasses a wide range of developmental disorders that have similar yet different characteristics, signs and symptoms. People who are on the autism spectrum often face lifelong challenges with social and communication skills, which could affect how they live.

Effective treatment plans have been developed that can help children with ASD live their best life possible. One of the leading ones is called applied behavioral analysis, or ABA therapy, which uses a science-based approach to learning.

Research has shown that ABA therapy and other ASD treatment plans are more effective when they are started at a young age. That’s why it’s so important to look out for the common signs and symptoms of autism as your child is developing, so you can have them undergo an official ASD evaluation if something appears off.

But, what should you be looking for if you’re a parent, caregiver or family member of a young child? Below, we have listed some questions you should ask to assess whether your child might have autism.

The answers to these questions will help guide you on whether you should seek further professional help about whether your child has ASD.

Table Of Contents

Autism Test Questions to Ask

Today, there are official tests that trained professionals use when they are evaluating a child for autism. Some of these screener questions may sound familiar to parents, as they are often asked at certain intervals during their child’s well visits at the pediatrician’s office.

Some of the questions are versions of those that are asked as part of The Childhood Autism Spectrum Test (CAST) and the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT), which are commonly used in autism assessments.

The questions are usually presented in a multiple-choice format, with answers being either very often, often, sometimes, rarely or never.

Below is a sampling of some of those questions, you can take the test here on our site although we do recommend you take the official M-CHAT assessment and do not rely on our test.

 

Autism Test

Do you sometimes wonder if your child is deaf?

Is your child often upset when everyday noises occur?

This could include crying or screaming when loud music plays or someone runs a vacuum cleaner.

Is your child aware of details that are unusual that other people would typically miss?

Did your child start speaking by 2 years old?

Does your child prefer to repeat the same things over in the same way?

Is your child constantly looking to “perform” for you?

Do they often seek your praise by saying things such as “watch me” or “look”?

Does your child usually respond to their name?

This could include babbling in response, stopping what they’re doing and/or looking at you.

Does your child usually look at your face to see how you respond when new things happen?

In other words, do they look at your face before they react to a new, funny or strange noise?

If you were to point at something in the room, would your child usually look at what you’re pointing at?

Can your child point with one finger if they want to show you something they’re interested in?

Is your child into “movement activities,” such as being bounced on a knee or swung?

Does your child often engage in make-believe or pretend play?

This could include talking on an imaginary phone, feeding a stuffed animal or drinking from a pretend cup.

Is your child overly interested in a single thing that they don’t do much else?

Can your child recall what would be considered very minor details?

Would your child look around if you turned your head to look at something?

Does your child understand what the typical rules for polite behavior are?

Will your child look you in the eye when you’re dressing them, playing with them or talking to them?

Can your child engage in a two-way conversation?

Will your child join in and play games with their peers easily and naturally?

Does your child usually take interest in other children?

Will they smile at other children, approach them or watch them?

 

What to Do if You Suspect Your Child Has Autism

As you can see, the questions above don’t apply to every child at every age. Some of the developmental milestone questions that are asked apply to children at different ages — when they would be expected to achieve those milestones.

If you asked yourself the above questions and are worried that your child might have ASD as a result of your answers, what should you do?

First, speak to your child’s pediatrician to get their opinion on the matter. If they concur that more needs to be done, you will likely be referred to a professional who is experienced and trained at administering autism evaluations.

You’ll likely visit a clinical psychologist, like the ones who are on our team at Blue Gems ABA, who will perform an official evaluation to determine whether your child has ASD.

Trust Blue Gems ABA with Your Child’s ASD Evaluation and Treatment

It’s very important for parents, caregivers and family members of young children to pay attention to the signs and symptoms of autism. Asking yourself some of the questions above can help you determine if more evaluation might be necessary for your child.

If you believe your child has autism, getting an evaluation at Blue Gems ABA is advisable. If one of our clinical psychologists does diagnose your child with ASD, we can create a detailed and personalized ABA therapy treatment plan to help your child build the social and communication skills they need to succeed in life.

For more information, please contact us today.