Is an autism evaluation right for my child?
Families may consider an autism evaluation when a child:
-
has differences or delays in language or communication
-
doesn't consistently respond to their name
-
uses gestures, eye contact, or facial expressions differently
-
has difficulty with back-and-forth social interaction or play
-
repeats movements, sounds, words, or activities​
-
has strong interests or prefers particular routines
-
has sensory differences
-
has difficulty with changes or transitions
-
has had an autism screening such as the M-CHAT-R/F that raised concerns
-
has had concerns raised by a pediatrician, preschool, Early Intervention provider, speech therapist, occupational therapist, or another professional
If you're wondering whether autism could explain what you're seeing, an evaluation can help provide clarity and next steps.
An autism evaluation is more than a test​
There isn't one test, questionnaire, or score that determines whether a child is autistic.
​
Autism diagnosis is based on the whole picture:
your child's developmental and medical history
caregiver observations
direct observation of your child's communication and behavior
information from other people who know your child when helpful
clinical judgment using established diagnostic criteria, including DSM-5-TR criteria for autism spectrum disorder.
​
As a pediatrician, Dr. Beene also considers your child's broader health and development, including language, hearing, sleep, feeding, growth, behavior, attention, anxiety, motor development, and other medical or developmental concerns that may be important to understanding the whole picture.
Why an autism evaluation with a pediatrician?
Autism affects development, but a comprehensive evaluation often means looking beyond a single diagnosis.​
​
As a board-certified pediatrician, Dr. Beene approaches autism evaluations as part of your child's overall health and development. That means considering not only social communication and behavior, but also language, sleep, feeding, attention, anxiety, hearing, growth, medical history, and other factors that may be contributing to what you're seeing.
​
The goal isn't simply to answer, “Is my child autistic?” It's to provide clarity about your child's development and what comes next.​​​
​
Your child's evaluation will combine Dr. Beene's experience as a pediatrician with specialized training in early autism assessment, including STAT-MD and ASD-PEDS training through Vanderbilt University Medical Center and ADOS-2 clinical training through Stanford University.
How does a virtual autism evaluation work?
1. Before scheduling
You'll complete a brief intake form so Dr. Beene can determine whether a virtual evaluation is likely to be appropriate for your child.
​
2. Before the evaluation
Once your evaluation is scheduled, you'll complete developmental questionnaires and share relevant medical, Early Intervention, school, speech therapy, occupational therapy, or other records.​
​
3. Parent/caregiver interview
Dr. Beene will talk with you in detail about your child's development, communication, social interaction, play, behavior, strengths, challenges, medical history, and your concerns.
​​
4. Structured observation
Dr. Beene will observe your child interacting and playing with you at home. When appropriate for your child's age, developmental level, and communication skills, she may use the TELE-ASD-PEDS, a structured telehealth assessment developed by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center to help clinicians observe autism-related behaviors in young children.​
​
During the visit, Dr. Beene will guide you through simple activities and interactions that provide opportunities to see your child's social communication, play, and behavior.
​
5. Putting everything together
Dr. Beene will integrate information from your child's developmental and medical history, caregiver interview, records, questionnaires, and behavioral observation to determine whether your child's overall presentation meets established DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder.
​
6. Results and next steps
You'll meet with Dr. Beene to discuss the findings, whether your child meets criteria for an autism diagnosis, and recommended next steps.
You'll receive a written diagnostic report summarizing the evaluation, findings, diagnosis when appropriate, and individualized recommendations.
​​What if the answer isn't autism?
​​
Not every child referred for an autism evaluation is autistic.
​
Language differences, ADHD, anxiety, developmental delays, hearing differences, intellectual disability, and other developmental or medical conditions can sometimes overlap with features associated with autism.
​
The goal of the evaluation isn't to produce a particular diagnosis. It's to provide clarity and identify appropriate next steps.​​
​
If your child doesn't meet criteria for an autism diagnosis, Dr. Beene will talk with you about what else may help explain what you're seeing and what additional evaluation, support, or care may be helpful.
Is a virtual evaluation appropriate for every child?
Not always. Age isn't the only consideration. Your child's communication, developmental profile, medical history, and the questions you're hoping to answer all help determine whether a virtual evaluation is a good fit.
​
If an in-person or different type of evaluation would be more appropriate, Dr. Beene will let you know before you schedule.
​
Occasionally, the need for additional in-person testing only becomes clear during an evaluation. If Dr. Beene can't confidently answer the diagnostic question virtually, she'll discuss what additional evaluation would be most helpful.
Will the evaluation be accepted by my child's insurance or other programs?
Dr. Beene will provide a comprehensive written report summarizing the evaluation, findings, diagnosis when appropriate, and recommendations. Requirements for accepting an autism diagnosis or diagnostic evaluation can vary among insurance plans, ABA providers, school systems, Early Intervention programs, and other organizations. In some cases, an organization may request additional testing or evaluation by another specialist.
​
If you know that your child needs documentation for a specific program or service, please share those requirements before scheduling so Dr. Beene can help determine whether this evaluation is likely to meet your needs.
Could autism be part of what you're seeing?
​Virtual autism evaluations are expected to begin in October 2026, serving patients located in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Florida.
Join the interest list to be notified when appointments become available. There's no obligation to schedule, and joining the list doesn't commit you to an evaluation.