Autism Assessment and Treatment in Denver, Colorado

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 your child being on the autism spectrum, it is important to find a psychologist who is qualified to diagnose autism.

Of course, giving parents an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis for their child is never an easy task. Many families don’t really know what autism is and want to know how and why their child has autism.

It can be very overwhelming for families. However, at Mountain Vista Psychology, we aim to calm those fears by informing parents there is nothing “wrong” with their autistic child. Autism is simply a different way of thinking that contributes to greater neurodiversity as a whole. Nevertheless, there can be challenges associated with autism, especially when parents are unaware of how to help, and early treatment can make all the difference for most children. 

In addition, it is not just children who seek autism spectrum evaluations, many adults are now learning that their lifelong challenges may be due to symptoms consistent with the autism spectrum. If you believe you or your child are on the spectrum, our Denver autism diagnosis services can help.

While some children show signs of autistic behavior as infants, such as minimal eye contact, no response to their name, or complete indifference to caregivers, other children can develop typically for the first few years of life before suddenly becoming withdrawn, aggressive, or losing language skills they already had.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 made 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:

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.

While autism spectrum disorder is not preventable, a proper diagnosis can be very useful. Many people who get an early autism diagnosis in Denver and utilize the Colorado autism intervention programs find it helpful to get the support and accommodations they need. Therapy can also be helpful for skills building, language development, and managing emotions. 

A proper diagnosis can also be very helpful for those looking for community. Being embraced for who they are and the strengths they have, instead of living with shame for behaviors and experiences that are part of their neurodiversity, can be a powerful moment for many in the community. Indeed, there are Denver autism support services and autism therapy services in Denver that are available to all.

However, 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 autism. Nevertheless, many autistic adults find it assuring to learn more about themselves and still seek a diagnosis to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the challenges they have faced.