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Interdisciplinary Center for Autism Services

Saint Louis University's Interdisciplinary Center for Autism Services provides an in-depth diagnostic evaluation for school-age clients in kindergarten through 12th grade who may qualify for a medical diagnosis of autism.

A woman sits at a table across from a child, shown from the back. They each hold small toy figures toward each other. Another woman sits in the corner, smiling.

 

Through an interdisciplinary approach, the center brings together the expertise of multiple SLU departments and programs including psychology, communication sciences and disorders, special education, social work, behavior analysis, occupational therapy and physical therapy, to provide high-quality assessments for families in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

The services offered through the Interdisciplinary Center for Autism Services will reduce the waiting list for autism diagnosis services in the area and support families through the evaluation process.

Parent Support Meetings

Join us in collaborating with other parents and specialists on different topics each month. Parents/guardians of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (Autism, ADHD) will find these meetings informative.

November 2024 Meeting Via Zoom

When: 7 p.m., Nov. 21, 2024

1st Topic (7 p.m.): What is a Sensory Diet? 
Presenter: Amy Hasman,  OTD, OTR/L

2nd Topic (7:30 p.m.): Part-time Employment Support
Presenter: Brian Hubler, St. Louis Arc

Zoom Meeting Information

Join Meeting Via Zoom
Meeting ID: 959 2205 6599
Passcode: 139568

December 2024 Meeting Via Zoom

When: 7 p.m., Dec. 10, 2024
Topic: Parent/Child Zoom Activity: Holiday Cooking
Presenter: Natalie Drury, MS, RD/LD

Zoom Meeting Information

Join Meeting Via Zoom 
Meeting ID: 962 5823 4112

Appointments for Assessments

Assessments may include two to three appointments lasting a few hours each. Evaluations are tailored to the individual client. Assessments will typically be given for a child who does not currently have a medical diagnosis of autism. Our interdisciplinary team of faculty and graduate students will work with each family to coordinate the most accurate assessment plan.

Before the Assessment

To ensure the assessment runs smoothly, we recommend you do the following in our office before your appointment:

  • Give permission for the release of school records
  • Provide current vision and hearing screening within the past year
  • Complete the medical/developmental history
  • Submit a $50 retainer that will be applied to your account

Sample Assessment Schedule for a Medical Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Day One
  1. Parent/Guardian = clinical interview
    Child = sensory profile (occupational therapy)
  2. Child = cognitive testing (psychology)
  3. Child = autism diagnostic observation schedule 2 (ADOS-2) (psychology, speech and language, special education)
Day Two
  1. Child = education assessment (special education)
  2. Child = speech and language assessment (speech and language clinicians)
  3. Additional occupational therapy and physical therapy assessments when appropriate
  4. Additional rating scales or assessments when appropriate
Day Three

Interdisciplinary team meeting to share the diagnostic evaluation results for approximately one hour. A final report will be mailed two to three weeks after your child’s assessment.

Assessment For Children With an Established Medical Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder

For school-age children with a medical diagnosis of autism, we can provide recommendations for educational programming and an overall functioning assessment plan, which may vary from client to client. Our goal in this case is to provide parents, guardians and schools with recommendations about areas of functioning that require interventions.

After the Assessment

Following the assessment and evaluation meetings for each family, recommendations will be made that could include:

  • Connecting to a team within the child's school.
  • Consulting for individualized education plans.
  • Suggesting therapies at SLU and outside agencies including the Speech-Language Hearing Clinic, STAR Applied Behavior Analysis Program, and the Pediatric Dental Clinic.
    • Applied behavior analysis services are offered by SLU's Student Teaching and Research (STAR) program. Services may include functional behavior assessments, corresponding behavior intervention plans, consultation, cross-setting therapy modalities, and parent and caregiver training.
  • Providing information on social skills programs and parent education workshops.

School/District Referrals

As each district and school has different needs, we will happily discuss how we can support your faculty and the students and families you serve. While our psychologist follows the DSM-V guidelines, our reports are streamlined for consideration under IDEA, and our services can include attending a review of existing data meetings, eligibility meetings and behavioral observations.