Autism Evaluation for Children in Manhattan | Manhattan Autism Evaluation

Some children are identified as autistic before they start school. Many others, often children with strong language skills, are not identified until the social and organizational demands of school make the differences harder to miss.

How Autism Is Diagnosed

Autism spectrum disorder is diagnosed based on two areas, both present since early childhood and affecting daily life:

Social communication and interaction

For example, difficulty with back-and-forth conversation, reading facial expressions and tone of voice, sharing interests, or making and keeping friends in an age-typical way.

Restricted or repetitive patterns

For example, strong need for sameness or routine, intense focused interests, repetitive movements or speech, and being over- or under-sensitive to sounds, textures, lights or smells.

No blood test or brain scan diagnoses autism. The diagnosis comes from a careful developmental history combined with direct observation and testing by a qualified clinician.

What the Evaluation Covers

Social communication and relationships
Restricted interests, routines and sensory differences
Cognitive ability (IQ)
Attention and executive functioning
Auditory and visual memory
Reading, writing and math
Anxiety, mood and emotional regulation
Personality patterns

Why It Covers So Much

Autism rarely comes alone. ADHD, anxiety, language disorders, learning disabilities and intellectual disability can all occur with it, and some of them can look like autism. A child who avoids classmates might be autistic, very anxious, or both. A full evaluation sorts out which pieces are present, and that changes what help makes sense.

What Parents Are Asked

The developmental history covers how your child developed as a baby and toddler, how they play and make friends, how they cope with strong emotions, change and conflict, whether attention or memory gets in the way, and what your child wants for themselves and what seems to hold them back. Bring any earlier evaluations, report cards, and IEP or 504 documents.

What You Leave With

A clear answer about whether your child meets the criteria for autism, a description of their strengths and challenges, and recommendations for school, home and therapy. See after the diagnosis for what those supports often look like.

Questions Parents Ask

What age do you start evaluating?

Dr. Tutty evaluates children from age 5 through young adulthood (22). For children under 5 in New York City, the Early Intervention Program (birth to 3) and the Committee on Preschool Special Education (ages 3 to 5) are the usual starting points, along with your pediatrician.

My child was already diagnosed with ADHD. Could it be autism?

It could be autism, ADHD, or both. They occur together often, and some features overlap. A full evaluation looks at both.

How should I explain the testing day to my child?

Keep it simple and honest: they'll spend the day with a psychologist doing puzzles, questions and schoolwork-style tasks, with breaks, and nobody passes or fails. A comfort item or familiar snack can help.

Can the school use the report?

Yes. Schools must consider an outside evaluation that the family shares, and the recommendations are written to support IEP and 504 planning.

Evaluations are provided through Aspyre Psychology. See its autism evaluation page.

Autism Evaluation for Children