How to Get an Autism Diagnosis in Missouri: A Step-by-step Guide with Supportive Care ABA

Your child isn't talking as much as other children their age, and if they have frequent "meltdowns" due to small changes in routine or someone mentioned concerns at school (like a teacher), you are most likely lying awake at night and wondering what to do next.

Often, this is the point when many parents in Missouri find themselves asking for help because obtaining an autism diagnosis can be extremely overwhelming if you are unsure who to call and/or how to proceed next.

In this guide, we will provide information regarding signs of possible autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children, the evaluation process for obtaining an autism diagnosis, and the process after receiving an autism diagnosis.

Signs That May Indicate an Evaluation Should Be Conducted:

Every child develops at their own rate, but particular behaviors indicate that you might need to speak with your child’s pediatrician. Typical behaviors include: 

• Limited eye contact or failure to respond to their name,
• Speech delays or loss of learned words,
• Repeating behavior such as lining up toys or hand flapping
• Reactions to sounds, textures, or changes in their routine
• Difficulty in social settings

Are you noticing these signs of autism? If so, you need to think about getting an autism evaluation sooner rather than later.

A diagnosis of autism in Missouri at an early age gives your child resources and programs during this time of important growth. Starting the conversation about an evaluation early has never been a bad idea.

Step 1: Speak With Your Child's Doctor

The first place most families go to is their child's pediatrician. Be prepared with documented examples from your home, school, and social settings to provide your doctor with as many details as possible to assist them in making their diagnosis. If they've ruled out other reasons for developmental inconsistency, then a referral to a specialist should be granted.

This is an important step because your pediatrician is aware of the appropriate autism evaluation clinics in Missouri and can assist you in obtaining appropriate referrals to professionals who provide assessments for autism.

Step 2: Get Assessed

Once you receive a referral from your pediatrician, it's suggested to schedule a formal evaluation.

Autism evaluations are conducted by professionals who will assess your child's behaviour, communication, and routines in an evaluation centre within St Louis, Springfield, or any other location in Missouri; these assessments will be based on direct observation of your child and on collecting information about them from parents/caregiver(s) about their child's behaviour, communication, and daily routines.

Common components of the autism assessment process may include:

1. Structured, play-based observation of your child.
2. Interviews with parents/caregivers about your child.
3. Review of developmental history (medical/developmental background).
4. Standardized autism screening instruments.

This process typically takes several hours to complete, although some families may be able to complete this process over multiple appointments/days; families should plan to schedule appointments as soon as possible to prevent unnecessary delays due to waitlists for specialists.

Step 3: Understand Diagnostic Criteria

Because there is such a broad spectrum of abilities and characteristics within Autism, Autism diagnosis in Missouri involves collecting all the relevant information over all of the diagnostic criteria versus collecting information based upon one specific behaviour or an entire list of behaviours. Comprehensive evaluation helps protect your child from being underdiagnosed or overdiagnosed based on incomplete evaluation information.

Step 4: Results

The specialist will review the evaluation results with you and explore treatment options available for your child and your family.

Step 5: Begin Therapy With Supportive Care ABA

Your child's developmental progress can be enhanced by the resources available through the diagnosis. ABA is a worldwide recognized service that specializes in the use of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy with autistic children. You can access Supportive Care ABA's service in three steps:

1. Verify & Enroll: Verify that your insurance has approved all necessary documentation.
2. Assess & Evaluate: A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) will work with your child to develop an individual plan based on the observation and assessment performed by the BCBA.
3. Implement & Achieve: Your child will learn and practice positive behavioral patterns through a series of fun home-based therapy sessions and learn how to apply these behaviors across a variety of real-world situations.

Next Steps: What Do I Do Now?

If you need to find an autism diagnosis in Missouri and want to know what the next steps will be, our staff can assist you in both areas simultaneously. We also assist families in understanding their insurance coverage so they can feel less overwhelmed when starting this process.

Supportive Care ABA assists families that do not live in Missouri, including Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia, and Arizona.

Want to begin services immediately? Fill out our online intake form, and we’ll call you back.

Common Questions Families Ask Us

1. Where do I go for an autism diagnosis in Missouri?

Booking an appointment with a pediatrician is the most common first step. Your child's pediatrician will then refer you to get an autism assessment.

2. What autism signs do children show?

Common autism signs are limited eye contact, delayed speech, repetitive behaviors, extreme reactions, and difficulty with social activities.

3. Where can I sign up for ABA therapy after my child is diagnosed with autism?

Once your child receives an autism diagnosis, that's when you contact us to assist you at every next step: (317) 563-0845 in Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Virginia, Arizona, South Carolina, and Missouri.