Denver, Colorado Autism Assessment and Treatment
Raising healthy and happy children is all any parent could ever want. That’s why parents tend to feel helpless upon observing that their child is “miles” behind most, if not all, of his or her milestones or that their young adolescent seems to have shut down 
cognitively, mentally and emotionally as evidenced by his or her performance and behavior in school. It’s just difficult to really know what is actually going on with your child, and that’s why it is important to listen to your instinct and reach out for help if you have concerns. If you are concerned about potential Autism Spectrum, it is important to find a psychologist who is qualified to diagnose autism.
cognitively, mentally and emotionally as evidenced by his or her performance and behavior in school. It’s just difficult to really know what is actually going on with your child, and that’s why it is important to listen to your instinct and reach out for help if you have concerns. If you are concerned about potential Autism Spectrum, it is important to find a psychologist who is qualified to diagnose autism.Denver, Colorado Autism Diagnosis
Of course, giving parents an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis for their child is never an easy task. Many families don’t really know what is autism, immediately ask if autism is curable, and want to know how and why their child has autism. It can be very overwhelming to digest this new normal for families, but at Mountain Vista Psychology, we aim to qualm those fears by informing parents that, while there is no known cure, early treatment can make all the difference for most children. In addition, it is not just children who seek Autism Spectrum Evaluations, but many adults are now learning that their lifelong challenges may be due to symptoms consistent with Autism Spectrum.
Autism Symptoms
While some children show signs of autistic behavior as infants, such as minimal eye contact, no response to their name or a complete indifference to caregivers, other children can develop normally for the first few years of life before suddenly becoming withdrawn, aggressive or losing language skills they already had. These are just a few signs that point toward autism in an autism diagnosis checklist. An autism diagnosis can be done before 2 years of age, since that is when indicators are usually observed, and each child with autism spectrum disorder can also display low functioning or high functioning autism symptoms.
Common indicators of autism spectrum disorder include, but are not limited to:
- Failure to respond to one’s name or appearing not to hear you at times
- Resists cuddling and holding, and seems to prefer playing alone
- Has poor eye contact and does not display facial expressions
- Doesn’t speak or has delayed speech, or even loses previous ability to say words or sentences
- Can’t begin a conversation or continue one
- Doesn’t seem to comprehend simple questions or directions
- Doesn’t express emotions or feelings and appears unaware of others’ feelings
- Inappropriately approaches a social interaction by being passive, aggressive or disruptive
- Has difficulty recognizing nonverbal cues, such as interpreting other people’s facial expressions, body postures or tone of voice
With time and continued treatment, those with Autism typically become more engaged with others and don’t display as much disruptive behavior as before. Again, early intervention is key. For those who are teens and adults, it still can be very helpful to complete an Autism evaluation. The evaluation can often provide validation and answers to long-asked questions and experiences.
Autism Causes
Although autism spectrum disorder has no single known cause, the fact that symptoms and severity vary, there may be several causes including genetics and environment. In fact, there are many environmental factors and associated conditions such as gastrointestinal (GI) abnormalities and immune imbalance that have actually been linked to autism pathophysiology, according to several medical studies on the subject.
- Genetics: For some, ASD can be associated with Rett syndrome or fragile X syndrome. For others, genetic mutations, which are either inherited or spontaneous, may increase the risk of this disorder.
- Environmental factors: Researchers are still studying whether viral infections, medications, complications during pregnancy, or air pollutants trigger ASD. While controversial, there is yet to be a link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorder.
Denver, Colorado Autism Testing
Despite autism spectrum disorder not being preventable, there are several autism treatment options. And of course, early diagnosis and intervention is most helpful in improving behavior, skills and language development. But there is no need to be discouraged if intervention happens years later, because it is still helpful at any age. Children usually do not outgrow symptoms, but they can learn to function well with their disorder. As such, whether a child, teen, or adult we testing completed is thorough to ensure an accurate Autism diagnosis is made.
About Mountain Vista Psychology
You can definitely count on our wonderful team of clinicians at Mountain Vista Psychology, PLLC, in Englewood, CO, to take care of your needs and make the transition into your new normal as smooth as possible. We pride ourselves in offering our clients of all ages with the best possible treatment you and your child desire. Our primary goal is for you to walk out of our clinic with a child that can function well among his or her peers and be ready for what lies ahead in their future. If you are looking for an autism diagnosis near you for your child, we happily serve clients in and around Denver, CO. Please do not hesitate to call us at 720-583-9332 for a free consultation. We are here to listen and provide support for you and your family so that your child can make major strides in spite of their diagnosis.