Question
What is the best way to have a child tested for asperger's?
Answer
The best approach to testing is to have your child examined by a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist [ask for a Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation].
For your own personal information, you can use the CAST test below. An Asperger test known as CAST is a valuable tool for evaluating children who might have the disorder. CAST stands for Childhood Asperger Syndrome Test. It's easy to administer and well organized. Exams like this have been developed to help families with high-functioning children receive the necessary screening. The Childhood Asperger Syndrome Test is also used for epidemiological research. The Aspergers CAST Test for children is a test that will enable parents to have a better sense of what the criteria for Asperger's looks like. For some of you, it will settle your nerves, for others, you will now have a better sense of what's going on with your child, enabling you to make appropriate choices with a better idea of where your child's challenges lay.
Aspergers CAST Test For Children
Child's name_______________________________
Age______ Sex: M / F
Birth Order: Twin or single birth______________
Parent / Guardian______________________________
Parent(s) occupation___________________________
Address______________________________________
_______________________________________
Phone#______________________________________
School_______________________________________
Please read the following questions carefully, and circle the appropriate answer:
1. Does s/he join in playing games with others easily?
Yes
No
2. Does s/he come up to you spontaneously for a chat?
Yes
No
3. Was s/he speaking by 2 years old?
Yes
No
4. Does s/he enjoy sports?
Yes
No
5. Is it important for him/her to fit in with a peer group?
Yes
No
6. Does s/he appear to notice unusual details that others miss?
Yes
No
7. Does s/he tend to take things literally?
Yes
No
8. When s/he was 3 years old, did s/he spend a lot of time pretending (e.g., play-acting being a super-hero, or holding teddy's tea parties?
Yes
No
9. Does s/he like to do the same things over and over again, in the same way all the time?
Yes
No
10. Does s/he find it easy to interact with other children?
Yes
No
11. Can s/he keep a two-way conversation going?
Yes
No
12. Can s/he read appropriately for his/her age?
Yes
No
13. Does s/he mostly have the same interests as his/her peers?
Yes
No
14. Does s/he have an interest that which takes up so much time that s/he does little else?
Yes
No
15. Does s/he have friends, rather than just acquaintances?
Yes
No
16. Does s/he often bring things to show you that interest s/he?
Yes
No
17. Does s/he enjoy joking around?
Yes
No
18. Does s/he have difficulty understanding the rules for polite behavior?
Yes
No
19. Does s/he have an unusual memory for details?
Yes
No
20. Is his/her voice unusual (e.g., overly adult, flat, or very monotonous?
Yes
No
21. Are people important to him/her?
Yes
No
22. Can s/he dress him/herself?
Yes
No
23. Is s/he good at turn-taking in conversation?
Yes
No
24. Does s/he play imaginatively with other children, and engage in role-play?
Yes
No
25. Does s/he do or say things that are tactless or socially inappropriate?
Yes
No
26. Can s/he count to 50 without leaving out any numbers?
Yes
No
27. Does s/he make normal eye-contact?
Yes
No
28. Does s/he have any unusual and repetitive movements?
Yes
No
29. Is his/her social behavior very one-sided and always on his or her terms?
Yes
No
30. Does your child sometimes say "you" or "s/he" when s/he means to say "I"?
Yes
No
31. Does s/he prefer imaginative activities such as play-acting or story-telling, rather than numbers or a list of facts?
Yes
No
32. Does s/he sometimes lose the listener because of not explaining what s/he is talking about?
Yes
No
33. Can s/he ride a bicycle (even if with stabilizers)?
Yes
No
34. Does s/he try to impose routines on him/herself, or on others, in such a way that it causes problems?
Yes
No
35. Does s/he care about how s/he is perceived by the rest of the group?
Yes
No
36. Does s/he often turn conversations to his/her favorite subject rather than following what the other person wants to talk about?
Yes
No
37. Does s/he have odd or unusual phrases?
Yes
No
S
PECIAL NEEDS SECTION
• Have teachers/health visitors ever expressed any concerns about his/her development?
Yes
No
If yes, please specify___________________________________
• Has s/he ever been diagnosed with the following:
Language delay
Yes
No
Hyperactivity/Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD)
Yes
No
Hearing or visual difficulties?
Yes
No
Autism Spectrum Condition, including Asperger syndrome?
Yes
No
A physical disability?
Yes
No
Other? (please specify
Yes
No
If yes, please specify___________________________________
My Aspergers Child: Preventing Meltdowns
