Autism Assessment Program

Autism Assessment at Golisano Children’s Hospital

If your child shows signs of autism, early intervention is key to getting them the support they need. At Golisano Children’s Hospital at University of Vermont Health, we offer comprehensive assessments to diagnose autism as early as possible.

The Autism Assessment Program evaluates children under age 8 who are Vermont residents. Our multispecialty team includes a child psychiatrist, developmental-behavioral pediatrician, child psychologist, social worker and speech-language pathologist. A robust intake process helps ensure your child receives evaluation from the right clinical experts. For our New York patients, we encourage you to consult with your child's pediatrician for assessment resources.

A little boy smiles and looks at an unseen medical provider.

Why Choose UVM Children's Hospital?

Our comprehensive, thorough evaluations lead to accurate diagnoses and connections with resources to support your child’s unique needs. We aim to help foster your child’s strengths using a family-based approach.

As one of the leading autism assessment programs in the region, we offer:

Multispecialty, holistic evaluation: We are the only multispecialty, doctorate-led assessment program in the region. Our approach allows us to evaluate all aspects of your child’s behavioral health, including how anxiety, depression, trauma and other mental health conditions overlap with autism.
Extra support: The autism assessment process can be complex. Our social workers partner with you to better understand your child’s needs and help you prepare. They coordinate with providers to obtain all relevant documentation.
Teaching and training: As part of a health system anchored by an academic medical center, many of our physicians are training the next generation of experts. Our medical residents, students and fellows are often active participants in autism assessments.

What Is Autism?

Autism is a lifelong developmental condition that affects children in many different ways, including how they interact with others and the world. In general, autistic children may experience:

Challenges with communication or social interactions
Feelings of overwhelm that lead to meltdowns or shutdowns
Intense focus on hobbies or interests
Restrictive or repetitive behaviors
Sensitivity to touch, sound, taste or light

Like all of us, autistic children are born with strengths and challenges. Early intervention and support can help your child harness and grow in their strengths to live their most fulfilling life.

What to Expect from Autism Assessment

Your child’s pediatrician must submit a referral before you can schedule an appointment with the Autism Assessment Program. After we receive the referral, our team will reach out to start gathering information about your child’s needs.

There are multiple steps, including:

Getting on the Waitlist

Before your child can be added to our waitlist, we need information about their needs. We’ll ask you to sign and return a family demographic form and release of information before we begin collecting your child’s records. Depending on your child’s history, we may request documentation such as:

Copies of their current Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Early Intervention records
Past psychological or developmental evaluation reports
School evaluation reports

When we have received all this information, one of our social workers will schedule a 20- to 30-minute phone interview to get a more in-depth understanding of your child’s needs.

Scheduling the Appointment

Before scheduling your child’s appointment, our team will reach out to you for updated information. We request:

Updated releases of information
Behavioral reports for your child and the adults in their household
Developmental history forms
Recent school reports and evaluations
Social skills questionnaires for you or your child’s teacher to complete

When we have received all this information, our team will call you. We’ll review the findings over the phone and schedule your child’s appointment.

Assessment Appointments

Your child will participate in an assessment with the specialist most appropriate for their needs. All our specialists use evidence-based tools to make autism diagnoses.

Evaluations take between one and three appointments. You may have a follow-up appointment to discuss the results of your child’s evaluation. We may include teachers or special educators in this appointment, if possible.

After the evaluation, we share your child’s report with you, your child’s school and their other providers, according to your family’s preferences. We share our recommendations with your child’s primary care provider, where they receive treatment and ongoing care.

Patient Resources

Vermont Department of Health - Autism Fact Sheet: Families often have questions about what they can do while their child is on a waiting list for an autism evaluation or a developmental assessment. This resource was developed based on questions raised by actual families and their care teams.
Larner College of Medicine - Navigating Autism With Your Child: A guide for families through key terms, timelines and other vital information involved in navigating the health care system and supporting children on the autism spectrum.
Larner College of Medicine - Diagnosing Autism: Jeremiah Dickerson, MD, child and adolescent psychiatrist at University of Vermont Medical Center, takes families through an overview of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
University of Vermont - Supporting Language and Communication: A webinar for parents and caregivers.
University of Vermont - Regulation and Sensory Processing: Information for parents and caregivers.
New York - Office for People with Developmental Disabilities: OPWDD is responsible for coordinating services for New Yorkers with developmental disabilities and provides services directly and through a network of approximately 500 nonprofit service providing agencies.

Golisano Children's Hospital

Child Life Program

Medical care can be overwhelming for children. Our Child Life Specialists help your child cope with stress, prepare for procedures and understand their care. These highly trained specialists offer your family support as you navigate our health system.

A child life specialist plays with a small child.

Learn more

Physician Referrals

Autism Assessment Referral Form: Our program requires referrals from primary care providers. Please use this form when referring your patient to our program.