UCLA's Autism Evaluation Clinic provides a specialized, high-level of expertise, in its approach to this difficult and poorly understood disorder. Our assessment protocol routinely includes comprehensive diagnostic and cognitive testing by child psychologists, all with practitioners skilled and experienced with autism spectrum disorders.

PLEASE NOTE: In light of our expanded evaluation process there is no waiting list and families can expect to be scheduled 2-4 weeks from the time that they submit their appointment packet.

Autism is the most common of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) or Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). This is a neurodevelopmental disorder typically appearing in the first three years of life and characterized by impairment in communication and social skills. In the five-plus decades since autism was first described, much has changed in the diagnosis and treatment of the syndrome. Much research is going into a better understanding of the behavioral, biological, genetic and neurological basis as well as the treatment of this syndrome and UCLA is at the forefront of some of these research efforts.

The UCLA Autism Evaluation Clinic is at the core of one of only eight National Institute of Health (NIH) Centers of Excellence in autism research nationwide, and the only center in California. The UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment was established in 2003 as part of the Studies to Advance Autism Research and Treatment (STAART) program. The funding initiative for the center grew primarily from the efforts of parent advocacy organizations that recognized the importance of more research.

Autism often can be diagnosed as early as two years of age, but because of its inconsistent pattern of development, it may be elusive to general practitioners. The UCLA Autism Evaluation Clinic sees children as young as 18 months through adulthood and employs best practice guidelines.

UCLA's Autism Evaluation Clinic is recognized as one of the foremost autism clinics in the country. At the UCLA Autism evaluation clinic, our goal is to provide the highest standard of autism evaluation as identified by the Department of Developmental Services (2002) and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The evaluation will include a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation by a team specially trained in the assessment of children, adolescents and adults who may have an autistic spectrum disorder. Results from the assessment will be reviewed by a multidisciplinary team that includes professionals with training in psychiatry, medical genetics, neuropsychology, and speech and language pathology. This consultation aids diagnosis and enables us to provide extensive and specific recommendations designed to guide parents, caregivers, and providers to best practice services and interventions for the client. Assessment findings, diagnosis(es), and recommendations will be provided at a feedback session, then summarized in a comprehensive written report.

The central theme of the Center's research program involves understanding the origins of social, communicative, and language deficits demonstrated by individuals with autism. A second theme is a focus on the design and testing of experimental treatment interventions. Following evaluation and diagnosis with an autism spectrum disorder in the clinic, families have access to a number of exciting and innovative research programs. For more information, please visit: http://www.autism.ucla.edu/

UCLA's Autism Evaluation Clinic staff and faculty are associated with the UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment (CART), which is one of the six Autism Centers of Excellence funded by the National Institutes of Health for treatment and research in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD); therefore, we encourage participation in one of our ongoing research studies. Eligibility and participation in one of our studies can significantly reduce the cost of the multidisciplinary evaluation. If you are interested in participating in research studies, we urge you to contact our centralized recruiter at (310) 295-1667 for research opportunities.