Autism and ADHD together (AuDHD)
Autism and ADHD (AuDHD) often occur together. How they overlap, how both can be true, and what to ask for in assessment and support.
Autism testing, genetic testing, and co-occurring conditions
Health and genetic testing
Genetic testing cannot diagnose autism. What it can do is find an underlying condition with its own health risks and its own screening plan.
ADOS-2 explained for parents: what a score is not
ADOS-2 is a structured observation tool inside an evaluation, not a pass/fail test. What happens, what scores mean, and what to ask after.
Anxiety in autistic children and teens
Anxiety is extremely common alongside autism and is treatable. It often shows up as rigidity, avoidance, stomach-aches, or meltdowns around uncertainty — not only as worry talk. Here is how to recognise it and what to try first.
Autism testing: screening, evaluation, how to start
Autism testing is not one test. What screening and evaluation mean, free ways to start, and how to find local diagnosis options. Plain answers for parents.
Is there a blood test for autism? What a lab can and cannot tell you
No blood test diagnoses autism. Here is what blood is actually drawn for after a diagnosis, and what the advertised tests can and cannot show.
ADHD and other conditions that often occur with autism
About three in four autistic children have at least one other condition alongside autism. Many of those are treatable — and they often drive the hardest days more than autism itself.
Autism diagnostic codes — DSM-5, ICD-10, insurance
Reports and bills use different coding systems. DSM-5-TR is how many US clinicians describe the diagnosis. ICD-10 codes often appear on insurance claims. Here is how to read both, what DC:0–5 is, and how to use documentation when services are denied.
Fragile X testing after an autism diagnosis: who needs it and why
Fragile X syndrome needs its own genetic test — a microarray or exome sequencing can both miss it. Here is who needs it, and what a result can mean.
Free autism evaluation: EI and school routes
Early intervention and school evaluations can be free to families. What they evaluate for, what they can't replace, and who to call Monday.
Getting a child assessed for autism — what actually happens
An autism assessment is not an online questionnaire. It is a structured process based on developmental history and direct observation. Here is how to start, what to expect, and what to do while you wait.
M-CHAT-R screening explained — what it is and what it is not
The M-CHAT-R is a short parent questionnaire used to screen toddlers for autism-related social communication concerns. It is not a diagnosis. Here is how the tool works, what risk bands mean, what the follow-up interview adds, and exactly what to do next.
Medication for autistic children — what it can and cannot do
There is no medication that removes autism. Medicines can help sleep, ADHD, anxiety, seizures, or other co-occurring conditions. Here is a plain-language frame for decisions with your clinicians.
Chromosomal microarray (CMA) for autism: what it finds and what it misses
A chromosomal microarray finds a cause in roughly 1 in 11 autistic children when it is the only test used — here is what it can and cannot tell you.
Losing skills — developmental regression
When an autistic child loses words, toileting, or other skills, treat it as a medical and developmental signal — not only a behaviour phase. Here is what to watch and what to do.
School vs medical autism diagnosis: which path?
School evaluation and a doctor's autism diagnosis are different. What each can give you, whether you need both, and what to do Monday morning.
Seizures and lost skills — act quickly
Most of this site tells you what can wait. This page is the exception. Suspected seizures and clear loss of skills need prompt medical attention.
Autism support levels 1, 2, and 3 explained
What DSM autism support levels mean in plain language, how they differ from developmental age, and when reassessment matters for school and Medicaid.
Anxiety, depression, and burnout in autistic youth
Autistic teenagers face high rates of anxiety and depression, and many describe burnout after years of masking. Here is what parents can watch for, what helps day to day, how school should respond, and when to get urgent help — without treating distress as ‘just autism.’
Autism genetic testing: what it finds, what it costs, and what to ask
Autism genetic testing cannot diagnose autism. Here is what it does find, how often, what it costs, and what to ask before you agree to it.
Autism genetic testing cost and insurance: what families actually pay
The honest range for autism genetic testing cost, what insurers and Medicaid actually require, and what to do the day a claim is denied.
Autism genetic testing results explained: positive, negative, and uncertain
What your child's autism genetic testing results actually mean — positive, negative, or uncertain — and exactly what to ask next.
Whole exome sequencing (WES) for autism: what it finds, and what it can do for your family
WES reads the protein-coding part of all ~20,000 human genes in one test and finds a cause in about 1 in 6 children with autism — well above what the older chromosomal microarray test finds on its own. Here is what a result can do for your child, for you, and for your child's medical team, and what it still cannot tell you.
Why autism happens: what we know and don't
Parents ask this for good reasons. Autism has many contributing factors, mostly genetic. We still cannot point to a single cause for most children. Here is what that means for decisions you actually face.
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