Understanding the Results: What Does the Diagnosis Mean?
The evaluation is complete, and now you're sitting across from the professional who's about to share their findings. This moment can feel overwhelming – you might experience relief at finally having answers, worry about what this means for your child's future, or a mix of complicated emotions. All of these feelings are completely normal.
How diagnoses are made: Autism is diagnosed based on behavioral observations and developmental history, not blood tests or brain scans. Professionals use criteria from the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual), which looks at two main areas: social communication challenges and restricted, repetitive behaviors or interests.
Lane Diagnostics' experienced child psychologists in Florida use comprehensive assessment methods including the DSM-5 criteria to provide accurate autism diagnoses. Our online autism evaluations look at all aspects of a child’s functioning to understand if they meet criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The autism spectrum: You'll likely hear the term "Autism Spectrum Disorder" (ASD). The word "spectrum" reflects the huge variation in how autism presents. Some autistic people live independently and have successful careers, while others need significant daily support. The spectrum isn't linear from "less autistic" to "more autistic" – it's more like a collection of traits that combine differently in each person.
Support levels: The DSM-5 includes three support levels:
Level 1 ("requiring support"): May struggle with social situations and need help with organization and planning
Level 2 ("requiring substantial support"): Has more obvious communication challenges and difficulty with change
Level 3 ("requiring very substantial support"): Needs significant help with daily activities and communication
These levels help describe current support needs, but they can change over time as children develop new skills.
What if the result is "no autism"? Sometimes evaluations conclude that a child doesn't meet criteria for autism. This doesn't mean your concerns weren't valid. Your child might have other conditions like ADHD, anxiety, sensory processing differences, or language delays that explain the behaviors you've noticed. The evaluation should still provide helpful information about your child's strengths and challenges.
At Lane Diagnostics, our Florida-based psychology practice ensures that every evaluation provides valuable insights about your child, regardless of the outcome. Our comprehensive online autism assessments examine the full range of developmental and behavioral factors, helping identify support needs whether autism is present or not.
Co-occurring conditions: Many autistic children also have other conditions like ADHD, anxiety, depression, or learning disabilities. These "co-occurring" conditions are common and don't make the autism diagnosis less valid.
Understanding your child's profile: The evaluation report should describe your child's specific strengths and challenges. Maybe they have exceptional memory but struggle with social situations, or they're incredibly creative but have difficulty with transitions. Understanding this profile helps you support them more effectively.
What about functioning labels? You might hear terms like "high-functioning" or "low-functioning," but many autism advocates discourage these labels. They don't capture the complexity of autism and can be limiting. A child might excel academically but struggle significantly with daily living skills, or communicate beautifully through writing but have difficulty with spoken language.
Your child is still your child: An autism diagnosis doesn't change who your child is – it helps explain how they experience the world. Their personality, interests, sense of humor, and all the things you love about them remain exactly the same.
Questions to ask about the results:
What specific areas of strength did you observe?
What challenges might we expect, and how can we help?
What does this mean for school and learning?
What resources and supports are available?
Should we consider any co-occurring conditions?
Take time to process this information. It's okay to ask for a follow-up appointment to discuss the results in more detail. Many parents find it helpful to bring a trusted friend or family member to this appointment to help remember important information.
If you have questions about autism evaluation results or need a comprehensive assessment for your child, Lane Diagnostics provides expert autism evaluations throughout Florida. Our team of licensed child psychologists specializes in online autism assessments, offering thorough diagnostic services with compassionate support for families. Contact Lane Diagnostics to discuss your child's evaluation needs.
