Overview

The Help Group Center for Autism Spectrum Disorder is a highly specialized outpatient clinic providing Developmental Evaluations for children under the age of six, and Diagnostic Assessment and Consultation for children and adolescents. We provide families with services that meet a range of needs, including gaining increased understanding of a child’s development; getting a second opinion on a diagnosis or evaluation; making or ruling out an autism spectrum diagnosis; and learning about treatment recommendations. Developmental and Diagnostic evaluations are comprehensive and are tailored to answer your specific questions. Evaluations to make or rule out an autism spectrum disorder include best practice assessment tools, including the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS).

Evaluation

• Diagnostic Assessment (including the ADOS) for children and adolescents to diagnose or rule out an Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Developmental Evaluation for children under six years of age assessing ability in the following areas:
  • Verbal and Nonverbal Intellectual Ability
  • Language and Communication
  • Daily Living Skills
  • Social and Emotional Development
  • General Development

Programs & Services

Diagnostic Assessment

A full diagnostic assessment consists of an in-depth interview with parents, review of previous records, administration of the ADOS, school observation or consultation if warranted, a feedback session with parents and the provision of a full written report detailing diagnostic impressions and recommendations. This diagnostic evaluation can be combined with a developmental assessment or neuropsychological assessment in collaboration with The Help Group Neuropsychology Program.

Developmental Evaluation

A comprehensive developmental evaluation consists of an in-depth interview with parents, review of previous records, standardized assessment, school observation or consultation if warranted, a feedback session with parents and provision of a full written report detailing diagnostic impressions and recommendations. Diagnostic Assessment can be included to diagnose or rule out an autism spectrum disorder.

Evaluation Timeline

Most evaluations are completed in three visits. During the first visit, a one to two-hour interview is scheduled with parents to gain background information and to review records. During the second visit, standardized assessment is completed. The ADOS takes about an hour, and developmental testing ranges from two to four hours. Occasionally, we will break up testing across two days, depending on a child’s needs. After assessment is completed, a one-hour feedback meeting will be scheduled. Following feedback, a detailed report will be sent to you.

A Full Range of Care

After an evaluation is completed, our team is available to work closely with parents, referring physicians and educational teams to design a personalized treatment plan. A full range of follow-up services is provided at The Help Group including psychotherapy, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, psychiatric treatment, recreational and social skills development programs, and behavioral intervention.

Contact Us

For more information regarding fees for services or an appointment, please call 877.943.5747 or 818.781.0360 or e-mail assessment |at| thehelpgroup.org