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AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS
Autism in Middle School Children
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When a child fails to meet certain age-based expectations, or when their communication skills are overwhelmed by the cognitive demands required, they may benefit from an autism assessment—and we can help.
While most diagnoses of autism are made in the early years of a child’s life, there are some instances where diagnoses are instead discovered in middle school.
Middle school-aged children typically experience a precipitous increase in social demands around sixth grade. This increase can create anxiety and other mood changes in a child that has autism. When a middle schooler’s communication skills are overwhelmed by this increase in demands, or if they are failing to meet other age-level expectations, they may have an autism spectrum disorder—and we can help.
Why is detection important at this age?
In middle school, a child’s self-esteem continues to be formed by a foundation of growth and successes in interpersonal functioning and other arenas. Autism identification and diagnosis affords a child the opportunity to acquire skills and/or accommodations that help prevent their differences in social communication from negatively impacting their self-esteem.
Signs of autism in middle school children
Signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can involve social interaction challenges and restrictive repetitive behaviors. Here are some signs of autism to look out for if your child is in middle school:
- Rigidly follows rules
- Struggles to interpret non-verbal social cues
- Exhibits low mood or anxiety triggered by interpersonal challenges
- Exhibits behavioral outbursts related to challenges around social communication
If you see any of these signs then we recommend contacting our office for an evaluation.
How We Evaluate Your Child for Autism
Our autism services include a full psychiatric evaluation, followed by treatment tailored to your children’s symptoms. We refer our patients for additional evaluation and treatment as needed.
Here’s what you can expect from our team:
1 - A comprehensive psychiatric evaluation
Our evaluation of the middle school-aged child begins with a comprehensive psychiatric interview. Conducted virtually on Zoom, this initial session may last from 60 to 90 minutes, and will include time with caregivers and patient all together as well as time with the patient alone. During our initial session, we will review your child’s developmental history, medical history, and symptom timelines. We will also discuss their social and academic functioning.
2 - Laboratory, Genetic, and Folate Receptor Antibody (FRAT) Testing
For some middle schoolers, we will order diagnostic tests to assess for potential genetic, inflammation, and nutritional contributions, or other physical health findings, that can be optimized to improve symptoms and behavior. We are proud to be at the forefront of many scientific advances, including the use of cutting-edge laboratory tests such as the Folate Receptor Antibody Test (FRAT), Genomind’s PGx, and IntellxxDNA’s Neurodevelopmental Panel. These panels provide treatment guidance to help “turn off” genes that worsen the symptoms and behaviors of patients suffering from autism, and “turn on” genes that improve social skills, communication and language abilities, cognitive processing, and behavioral control.
3 - Recommended treatment
If a diagnosis is confirmed, our psychiatrist will be your point person for ensuring that associated symptom targets—for instance anxiety, impulsivity, or depression—are supported with the right medications for your child. Additionally, your psychiatrist may make recommendations for school-based accommodations, social skills training, and/or Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) treatment.
There can be a symphony of inputs that can be modified or optimized in order to improve a patient’s chances of thriving with autism, and it is the job of our child psychiatrist to coordinate and address these inputs as needed for your child.
If your child is exhibiting signs of autism, getting them an evaluation is a critical step forward. If you feel lost or helpless in understanding what your child is going through, we are here to help.
Tools We Use to Help
Autism Genetic Testing
Genetic testing helps our team uncover the complexities of your child’s autism spectrum disorder and begin to treat them.
Nutritional Psychiatry
New research suggests autism may be linked to the gut microbiome. Our functional nutritionist can recommend dietary changes that help your child function better.
Medication Management
Sometimes, medication can make all the difference in a child with an autism diagnosis. Our team can determine what will work best for your child.
Meet Our Autism Experts
Book An Appointment
To find out more about our autism program for middle school-aged children, please contact our team today.