Answer #5: How can my child be assessed if he/she cannot talk?
Many children with autism do not talk, but assessment can be carried out by evaluating nonverbal behavior, through observational methods, and by using parent report and interview information. Several assessment instruments have been developed to get information from parents about their child’s skills. One example is the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, which collects information on children’s communication, social, daily living and motor skills, and compares it to that gathered from children with typical development, as well as with various kinds of disabilities. Because there are groups with which to compare a child’s performance, these kinds of instruments allow a standardized score to be assigned. These standardized scores are helpful in determining eligibility to special services and in planning intervention programs. A licensed psychologist can administer cognitive tests that are specially designed to look at a child’s problem solving skills without language. These tests ask chi
