What to gather and what to expect before an autism assessment at Divit MindSpace — practical guidance for families of children and for adults seeking their own evaluation.
Write down what you've noticed — in social interactions, communication, routines, sensory responses, or play/behavior. Include a few concrete examples for each. If you are the person being assessed as an adult, describe how these traits show up in your own life.
Collect what you know about early development: when first words appeared, early social milestones, any feeding or sleep patterns, and key memories from early childhood. For adults, gather school reports, early family anecdotes, or prior reports if available.
Bring earlier psychological, speech, occupational therapy, or developmental reports. If a school has shared observations, include those. Prior reports help the assessment team build a complete picture without retesting what's already known.
Autism assessments work best when the clinician knows upfront about sensory sensitivities (sounds, lights, textures) or strong routines. This lets us adjust the environment and the flow of the visit so the person being assessed is comfortable.
A comprehensive autism assessment often takes 2 to 3 visits — an intake/interview, structured observation and testing, and a feedback session. For children, bringing a comfort item or familiar snack helps.
Write down any questions you want answered by the end — about therapy options, school support, adult accommodations, or family next-steps. The feedback session is the time to get these addressed.
Whether or not a diagnosis is given, the assessment's real output is a personalized plan: strengths to build on, supports to put in place, and services to consider. Our team walks you through all options at the feedback visit.
