Dr. Gwenn Schurgin O'Keeffe, MD, FAAP

Dear Dr. Gwenn,

How early can a child be tested for Autism? What kind of tests does it involve?

Signed,
Rebecca

Dear Rebecca:

Autism is actually a spectrum of developmental conditions. The diagnosis is not always straight forward especially in more mild cases and sometimes is very obvious with a child who is simply not interacting well and connecting with those close to them. Some parents will accurately suspect autism during infancy but more typically suspicions arise during the toddler years. As early as you suspect is when to push for testing.

The tests are dictated by the child's symptoms but usually involve developmental and psychological tests and often genetic testing and blood work to rule out other non-autism conditions. All major children's hospitals have specialists in autism who your pediatrician can refer you to. These specialists are usually in the department of neurology, developmental pediatrics or general pediatrics - different hospitals organize their specialists differently.

Here are some internet resources for more information:

Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Understanding Autism

Best,
Dr. Gwenn

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About the Author
Pediatrician, Dr. Gwenn Schurgin O'Keeffe, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Gwenn is an experienced columnist, educator, and practicing pediatrician. Dr. Gwenn strives to write as if she were talking to a parent. As a parent herself, she knows how important it is to obtain information but also understand how precious little time parents have to find that information on the internet. Pediatrics Now was developed to fill that gap and provide a bridge between the parenting and pediatrics worlds.

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