This is actual test that is being done to evaluate a child who is suspected of having autism spectrum disorder. Although it looks like the person who is interacting with the child is playing, it is an actual standardized test that is called the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2). It is the gold standard for diagnosing autism. We are showing this so you have an awareness of steps that occur after you refer for professional evaluation. In this video you will see a non-verbal 5-year-old boy who has come in for an autism evaluation. In the first part of the video you’ll see the examiner giving directions to the mother. With this particular module of the test, the caregiver is required to be in the room. Some of the behaviors that you will see are behaviors very characteristic of autism spectrum disorder. Pay particular attention to the following behaviors:

1. Lack of joint attention, which means he cannot pay attention to the same thing that the examiner wants him to pay attention to. He keeps walking away from her when she introduces toys and the activity of peek-a-boo. This is also true with the mother. He does not engage with her.
2. He makes requests for food, but does not request to have bubbles blown again. This is characteristic of ASD that a child will not request something that is not of their own interest.
3. There is limited eye contact.
4. His attention span is very limited.
5. He plays with only a small part of two different toys and does not play with the whole toy. With a frog, he only pays attention to one leg of the frog; and with the baby, he plays with the eyeballs and not the entire baby.
6. He does not respond to his name when called.
7. He also uses the examiner’s arm and his mother’s arm to request that he wants to stop the activity.

He does a few nice things. He gives candles back to the examiner. He also uses the American Sign Language sign ‘please’ to request to leave the room.

Video: