When is the ideal time to begin the diagnostic process for autism?
Answer
Research says the earlier, the better. Right now the DSM-IV says characteristics are present before the age of three. At our clinic, we are diagnosing children under the age of two. It depends on the severity of their symptoms at that age. It is important to have someone who is trained on the diagnostic tools, to be able to differentiate between what is autism and what are other toddler type behaviors. We know the earlier that we get it started the better. The earlier we get them into early intervention programs, the better prognosis they will have and the quicker they will learn how to communicate and socially interact.
Tara Warwick, OTD, MS, OTR/L
Dr. Tara Warwick is an occupational therapist and the co-owner of Blue Sparrow, a national training and consulting therapy firm, and Today’s Therapy Solutions, an Oklahoma-based pediatric therapy company. She has over 20 years of experience working with children with disabilities across all settings. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Tara obtained her bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy in 2000, her master’s degree in Rehabilitation Sciences with an emphasis in pediatrics in 2005, and her Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate in May 2021. Tara spends her days providing in-home therapy to children, conducting training and consultations for schools on challenging behavior and autism, and consulting with other therapy companies on practice management. Tara’s areas of intervention expertise include behavior management, sensory processing, self-care training (potty training, eating/feeding, dressing, play, etc.), assistive technology, and home programming. Tara enjoys thinking outside the box and developing creative ways to help her business run more efficiently and effectively.
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