ASD Diagnosis

An ASD diagnosis is clinical — there's no blood test or imaging scan that confirms it. It's made by a multidisciplinary team (a neurodevelopment specialist physician — neurologist, psychiatrist, or specialized pediatrician — together with a psychologist) through interviews, direct observation, and standardized instruments.

The most widely used instruments are: ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) — standardized observation of behavior in a semi-structured setting; and ADI-R (Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised) — a detailed interview with parents/caregivers about developmental history. Combining both increases sensitivity and specificity.

Access to diagnosis is uneven in many places: trained professionals tend to be concentrated in urban centers, and private evaluation can be expensive. Publicly funded healthcare systems often offer diagnosis through child and adolescent mental health services and referral centers, though wait times vary widely.