What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder. This disorder affects communication, social interaction, and behavior. It is called a "spectrum" disorder because individuals' symptoms and severity vary widely.
While the exact causes of autism are not fully understood, research suggests that both genetic and environmental factors play a role. While there is no known cure for autism at this time, early diagnosis and intervention can help individuals with autism develop skills and strategies to manage their symptoms and lead fulfilling lives.
Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder
It can be challenging to diagnose Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) because there are no tests for the disorder. For example, one can not use blood or other medical tests. The developmental progress is what is used for detecting ASD. A doctor’s most common assessment is developmental monitoring. Developmental monitoring is an assessment that is an active, ongoing process. The assessor watches a child grow and encourages conversations between parents and providers about a child’s skills and abilities. Developmental monitoring involves parents monitoring how their child grows and if they meet the typical developmental milestones most children reach by a certain age. (CDC, 2022)
ADOS-2 Autism Diagnostic Observation 2nd Edition
Research shows that ADOS-2 is one of the most widely used diagnostic tools for diagnosing ASD. It is observation-based and involves direct interaction between the clinician and the child/student interaction. This tool has high reliability and validity.
CARS-2 Childhood Autism Rating Scale 2nd Edition
Clinicians frequently utilize CARS-2. It uses observations to assess behaviors, communication, and social interactions. It is often a beneficial tool for research and screening. Some argue that the CARS-2 is less accurate than the ADOS-2 because of its reliability and validity, scoring below the ADOS-2.
ADI-R Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised
The ADI-R diagnostic tool utilizes interviews to assess the individual. This assessment, however, is completed partially by the caregiver of the student/child. The caregiver conducts the interviews. The ADI-R does not rely on current direct observations performed directly by the clinician as the above two diagnostic tools do. ADI-R relies more on detailed data in the interview reports cataloging the knowledge of the student/child-- behavior and history of developmental landmarks. I placed ADI-R third because while the interviews and their data are essential, direct observations conducted by the clinician are also necessary for gathering data for an accurate assessment.
It can be challenging to diagnose Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) because there are no tests for the disorder. For example, one can not use blood or other medical tests. The developmental progress is what is used for detecting ASD. A doctor’s most common assessment is developmental monitoring. Developmental monitoring is an assessment that is an active, ongoing process. The assessor watches a child grow and encourages conversations between parents and providers about a child’s skills and abilities. Developmental monitoring involves parents monitoring how their child grows and if they meet the typical developmental milestones most children reach by a certain age. (CDC, 2022)
ADOS-2 Autism Diagnostic Observation 2nd Edition
Research shows that ADOS-2 is one of the most widely used diagnostic tools for diagnosing ASD. It is observation-based and involves direct interaction between the clinician and the child/student interaction. This tool has high reliability and validity.
CARS-2 Childhood Autism Rating Scale 2nd Edition
Clinicians frequently utilize CARS-2. It uses observations to assess behaviors, communication, and social interactions. It is often a beneficial tool for research and screening. Some argue that the CARS-2 is less accurate than the ADOS-2 because of its reliability and validity, scoring below the ADOS-2.
ADI-R Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised
The ADI-R diagnostic tool utilizes interviews to assess the individual. This assessment, however, is completed partially by the caregiver of the student/child. The caregiver conducts the interviews. The ADI-R does not rely on current direct observations performed directly by the clinician as the above two diagnostic tools do. ADI-R relies more on detailed data in the interview reports cataloging the knowledge of the student/child-- behavior and history of developmental landmarks. I placed ADI-R third because while the interviews and their data are essential, direct observations conducted by the clinician are also necessary for gathering data for an accurate assessment.
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References:
Mehling, M., & Tassé, M. (2016). Severity of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Current Conceptualization, and Transition to DSM-5. Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 46(6), 2000–2016. https://doi-org.umassglobal.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s10803-016-2731-7
Neuroimaging endophenotypes in autism spectrum disorder — Johns Hopkins University. https://jhu.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/neuroimaging-endophenotypes-in-autism-spectrum-disorder-3
Screening and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (2022) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/screening.html (Accessed: May 4, 2023).
Mehling, M., & Tassé, M. (2016). Severity of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Current Conceptualization, and Transition to DSM-5. Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 46(6), 2000–2016. https://doi-org.umassglobal.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s10803-016-2731-7
Neuroimaging endophenotypes in autism spectrum disorder — Johns Hopkins University. https://jhu.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/neuroimaging-endophenotypes-in-autism-spectrum-disorder-3
Screening and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (2022) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/screening.html (Accessed: May 4, 2023).
