How High-Functioning Autism Is Diagnosed?

Reviewed by Nechama "Nicole" Fried, MEd, BCBA, LBA

High-functioning autism, often referred to today as Level 1 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is diagnosed throughcareful observation, developmental history, and standardized assessments. While the term “high-functioning” isn’t officially used in medical diagnoses anymore, it generally describes individuals with autism who have strong language and intellectual skills but still face challenges in social communication and behavior.

Steps in Diagnosis:

1. Developmental History– Doctors ask about early milestones, communication, and social behavior.
   
   
2. Behavioral Observation– Specialists watch how a child interacts, plays, and responds to social cues.
   
   
3. Standardized Assessments– Tools like theADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule)or questionnaires help identify patterns linked to autism.
   
   
4. Multidisciplinary Evaluation– A team may include psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and pediatricians to rule out other conditions and confirm autism.
   
   
5. Parent and Teacher Input– Reports from caregivers and educators give valuable insight into how the child behaves in different settings.

Early diagnosis allows families to begin interventionslike Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which can build communication, social, and daily living skills.

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AtBlue Jay ABA, we provide personalizedABA therapy in North Carolinato support children across the autism spectrum. 

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SOURCES:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3808966/

https://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/high-functioning-autism

https://www.healthline.com/health/high-functioning-autism

https://www.cdc.gov/autism/hcp/diagnosis/index.html

https://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-diagnostic-criteria-dsm-5

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