Child Autism and NeuroDevelopmental Evaluation

CANDE Hawaii offers online neurodevelopmental evaluations for children with suspected ASD ages 0-5. Your child’s early years are so very important. It is important to accurately detect and diagnose autism as early as possible, so parents can better understand their child's unique strengths and challenges. Early detection can also help determine which services, educational programs, and behavioral therapies are most likely to be helpful for your child. WHAT IS AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD)? Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave. Although autism can be diagnosed at any age, it is described as a “developmental disorder” because symptoms generally appear in the first two years of life. Autism is known as a “spectrum” disorder because people with autism have a range of characteristics, needs, strengths, and challenges. People of all ages, races, ethnicities, sexes, and economic backgrounds can be diagnosed with autism. Although it can be a lifelong disorder, there treatments, services, and supports that can improve a person’s health, well-being, and daily functioning. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children receive screening for autism. Parents should talk to their child’s health care provider about autism screening or evaluation. If autism is suspected, an evaluation is recommended to ensure that the child receives the best support as early as possible. WHAT AGE CAN AUTISM BE IDENTIFIED IN TODDLERS? Autism can be reliably diagnosed by the age of 2, however there are early signs of autism that be observed before 1 year of age. HOW IS AUTISM DIAGNOSED? Autism is diagnosed by evaluating a child’s behavior and development. It is important to seek an evaluation as soon as possible. The earlier it is diagnosed, the sooner treatments and services can begin. HOW ACCURATE ARE ONLINE AUTISM EVALUATIONS? A recent study "Diagnostic Assessment of Autism in Children Using Telehealth in a Global Context: a Systematic Review” (Katakis et. al., 2023) found that autism can be assessed via telehealth accurately and reliably, and that diagnostic decisions made via telehealth highly agree with the diagnostic outcomes of care-as-usual clinical face-to-face assessments. CANDE Hawaii is committed to ensuring that all families have access to high-quality autism related services, regardless of financial circumstances. Medicaid (QUEST) covers autism evaluations at no cost to the family. For families that are not eligible for QUEST and will not be using insurance coverage, CANDE Hawaii does offer a sliding scale rate to families for whom the standard rate may cause undue financial burden. If you would like to request a sliding scale fee, please request a Sliding Fee Discount Program Application Form.