What is a doctor who treats autism called? Is it a psychiatrist, a neurologist, or like an occupational therapist?
Posted on Feb 02 , 2010 in autism
Posted on Feb 02 , 2010 in autism
What is a doctor who treats autism called? Is it a psychiatrist, a neurologist, or like an occupational therapist?
Deborah O
7
Autism is NOT diagnosed by an occupational therapist. However, an occupational therapist may be part of a team that diagnoses it. Autism involves impairments in language and socialization, as well as more stereotyped interests, behaviors, and routines or rituals. Some of those more stereotyped behaviors are often rooted in sensory processing difficulties and an occupational therapist would look at that aspect of it. An occupational therapist would also provide services to address sensory and fine motor needs. However a specialist in behavior (psychiatrist, psychologist, etc.) should look at and work with socialization and a speech language pathologist should look at and work with language. Public schools often have teams like that who do those evaluations for free and provide those services. So do many hospitals. However, autism is also often diagnosed by doctors, psychiatrists, or psychologists by themselves. Any team or individual practitioner’s ability to diagnose autism is only as good as their training beyond what is given in the classroom (which is very little on autism). Always ask any practitioner what their expertise with autism is. Any practitioner who has the expertise to diagnose autism will also make quality recomendations. If your child has autism, find a good occupational therapist, speech pathologist, and psychologist who can work together as a team to provide services.
amandauk
7
A psychiatrist. I’m an adult with Asperger syndrome and my doctor is a neuropsychiatrist; he trained in neurology, then later trained in psychiatry, and has an interest in where the two overlap. A psychiatrist more than a neurologist would treat autism or asperger syndrome, but they would have to have a specific knowledge of it (not all do especially adult psychiatrists). Children can be treated by psychiatrists or paediatricians.
WP Robot Wordpress Autoposter
7
An occupational therapist diagnoses it. Autism isn’t treatable as such. Things can be done to help the person with autism, but its a lifelong disability.
girlfromdallas
6
Autism is overdiagnosed and the label misused, says a You Tube video called ‘autism epidemic out of control” The video also tells us, or rather cites research backing this up, so it’s pretty compelling. I had no idea people were abusing this label so frequently!