Does my child have autism?
Find someone who can actually tell you.
Only a qualified clinician can diagnose autism — not a website, and not a checklist. Here is exactly who those clinicians are, how to find one near you, and what to say when you call so you get an appointment instead of a shrug.
- Waits are months — get on lists first
- Two free evaluations you can request yourself
- We know the path in all 50 states
Who diagnoses autism
Six people who can help, and what each one is for.
Developmental-behavioral pediatrician
The specialist most associated with autism diagnosis in children. Longest waits, and worth getting on the list first.
Child psychologist or neuropsychologist
Often the fastest route to a thorough evaluation, and frequently the one that produces the most useful written report for schools.
Child psychiatrist
Can diagnose and can also manage co-occurring conditions and medication where those become relevant.
Pediatric neurologist
Common where seizures, regression, or other neurological questions sit alongside the developmental ones.
Your own pediatrician
Some diagnose straightforward cases directly. Always worth asking whether yours does before you wait months for a specialist.
An early intervention or school team
These determine eligibility for services, which is not the same as a medical diagnosis — but they are free, fast by comparison, and you can start them yourself.
Do these at the same time
Two of the three doors are free.
Under three, every state runs an early intervention program you can refer your own child to — no doctor, no diagnosis, no cost. From three up, your local public school district must evaluate a child suspected of having a disability, including one who doesn’t attend that school yet.
Neither waits on the medical evaluation, and neither closes it. The most common expensive mistake is doing these one at a time.
Parent at a kitchen table with a notebook and phone, making the call, morning light