Depending on the ADOS-2 module selected for your child, parent participation may be required. The younger the child, and decreased language skills, the more likely the caregiver will be asked to stay in the room during testing. If you are not asked to actively participate in the room, you will still be required to stay within the building in case any difficulties are encountered and/or if the child would like to visit with their caregiver during testing breaks.

Additional children besides the client are not permitted to be present during testing. This minimizes distractions to the client and the provider. If you have other children at home, please make arrangements to have another caregiver watch your children while the client participates in the evaluation.

Dr. Zarei attempts to make the testing environment welcoming and engaging. She employs behavioral strategies that elicit participation. Dr. Zarei makes accommodations to fit the client’s needs, such as taking breaks and making adjustments for sensory sensitivities. When clients experience high levels of anxiety in unfamiliar environments, they are allowed time to play and get acclimated to the environment to ensure they put forth their best effort on testing measures.

Offering your child a reward to work for at the conclusion of testing can be helpful in reinforcing participation. Sharing reinforcers and what motivates your child with Dr. Z will also be helpful.

A feedback session can typically be scheduled within 2 weeks of the testing appointment. This timeline can vary, depending on the timeline of completion of the caregiver and teacher forms, acquiring pertinent records, consultation with other providers, and the complexity of the case.

Dr. Zarei has experience diagnosing mental health disorders that can co-occur with autism, such as: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, intellectual developmental disorders, anxiety, depression, trauma, sleep-wake disorders, feeding and eating disorders, elimination disorders, communication disorders, and motor disorders.

Please contact Dr. Zarei with a minimum of 24 hours advance notice if you are unable to attend your scheduled appointment. If a client no-shows or cancels an appointment within 24 hours for 2 separate appointments, services may be discontinued.

*Cancelling or missing any evaluation appointment with less than 24-hour notice will result in a $225 cancellation fee.

Call (719)- 203-9417 for a free 20-minute phone consultation to help determine whether an evaluation with Dr. Zarei is a good fit for your child. Consulting with your child’s primary care provider and other health care professionals is also recommended.

By accessing the Autism Navigator website, caregivers will have the opportunity to learn about the core diagnostic features and early signs of autism in toddlers, the critical importance of early detection and early intervention, and current information on prevalence and causes of autism. Autism Navigator’s self-paced course has video clips of over a dozen toddlers with ASD at 18-24 months of age.

Autism Navigator also has a Glossary that contains more than 100 video clips illustrating the diagnostic features of ASD. Side-by-side video clips show behaviors that are typical in contrast with those that are red flags for autism. The Glossary also contains over 100 video clips to illustrate different common treatments available for children with autism.

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