Top 3 Autism Assessments You Can Do Today To Support a Child with Autism

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Today on Turn Autism Around®, we are diving into the top 3 autism assessments you can do TODAY to start helping a child with autism. The best part is? They are free and simple to use! You wouldn’t walk into a new doctor or therapist and expect them to just jump into treatment without first doing an assessment to help decide where to start. Helping a child with autism is no different and these 3 autism assessments will help you to decide the best starting place. So, let’s get started with the top 3 autism assessments.

You’ll Learn

Importance of conducting 3 assessments before intervention
Where to get free autism assessments
How to conduct video samples, language samples, and online digital assessment
Importance of using assessments to monitor progress

Video Samples

All of the assessments from today are available for free with my book Turn Autism Around®, but even if you don’t have the book you can get them from the book resources page here.

We want to start with collecting baseline videos to measure progress before and after implementing intervention strategies. It’s essential to conduct these assessments even if a child is still struggling or functioning at a lower level. Our focus is particularly on language development, and the book resources provide clear directions on recording videos one and two. We suggest capturing one to two minutes of the child alone, observing their behavior, whether it’s lining up objects, engaging in stimming, labeling pictures, or participating in other activities. This assessment gathers vital information for future interventions. We will continue to take these videos every couple of months so we can see changes in language, play, and engagement.

Language Sample

Equally important is conducting language samples to document a child’s vocalizations and progress over a specific timeframe. We recommend an unconventional approach of engaging the child initially, followed by discreet observation to capture their spontaneous language when they believe no one is paying attention. So basically this means, completing some of the language samples while engaging them, and some of it while just watching them even if they are just making sounds or babbling. The recommended duration for the language sample is 15 minutes, including both engaged and unengaged scenarios. Document important details like date, time, duration, and level of engagement during this process. We provide examples of various language samples to help you carry out this assessment effectively.

Autism Assessment Online

Our last free autism assessment is a free digital assessment that evaluates self-care, language and learning, and problem behavior. Accessible online, this assessment generates scores in these areas, providing a clear snapshot of a child’s development and progress. To tie it all together, conducting a baseline digital assessment is crucial for establishing a starting point to monitor progress. Reassess this assessment after two months, especially if you enroll in our online course. Ideally, you should observe growth in videos, language samples, and digital assessment scores. If minimal improvement is seen, it may be necessary to scrutinize intervention strategies more closely.

I encourage you to reach out with any questions and dive deep into these assessments to effectively track your child’s progress. Don’t hesitate – let’s get started!