Autism Testing
Are you or your child experiencing challenges with social interactions, communication, or sensory sensitivities?
Wondering if you might be on the autism spectrum? Grey Matter offers expert autism assessments for children, teens, and adults.
Serving Santa Monica and Greater Los Angeles with neurodivergent affirming care.
What is an autism assessment?
An autism assessment is a thorough evaluation that helps determine if someone meets the criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder (AS). Our licensed psychologists use proven tools to understand your unique strengths, challenges, and needs.
Who would benefit from an autism assessment?
You or your child may benefit from an autism evaluation if you notice:
Difficulty understanding social cues or making friends
Challenges with communication or expressing emotions
Sensory sensitivities (to sounds, lights, textures, etc.)
Intense interests or repetitive routines
Feeling “different” or misunderstood
Anxiety or discomfort in new or unpredictable situations
Autism presents differently in each person. Many individuals, especially girls, high achievers, or those who mask their symptoms, are not diagnosed until adolescence or adulthood. Early and accurate diagnosis can lead to better support and improved quality of life.
Do you feel sensitive and easily overwhelmed?
COMMON ISSUE:
Some autistic folks are missed during their childhood and educational journey. They grow up feeling anxious, overwhelmed, and easily overstimulated, but they don’t know why.
TRUTH:
Autism is simply a different neurological way of responding to the world around you. It can be the creativity and energy behind your next big project or work assignment. You simply need to know how to manage your symptoms.
Undiagnosed autism can hold you back. You probably struggled in school despite being incredibly intelligent. You might worry that your work colleagues are annoyed with you because of your different communication style, but you have great ideas for the project.
Those with undiagnosed autism typically talk about…
Struggling with poor self-esteem because you worry that everyone is annoyed or mad at you.
Worrying about how you are going to socialize when you know that the party is going to be a sensory overload for you.
Wondering why you have such a hard time understanding nuance or jokes.
Feeling like an outsider, but longing for close connections with others.
Dreading school or work because you know you’ll be restricted from some of the repetitive behaviors you rely on to feel calm (like pacing, picking, or tapping).
A diagnosis matters because it can help you advocate for yourself and learn real-life skills to stay calm and connected.
Your autism might lead to:
Low self-esteem about your ability to connect to others.
Feeling burned out and chronically overwhelmed by the sounds around you.
Difficulty feeling calm after you’ve crashed out because you haven’t learned the skills for managing your overwhelm yet.
Fear of the social demands your friends and family make of you.
Difficulty articulating your needs verbally with others.
Anxiety from the texture of your clothes or the tastes of foods.
Learn if you have autism with a comprehensive evaluation.
What is autism?
Autism is a neurological diagnosis, which means that something different (but powerful!) is happening in your brain. That difference is not a bad thing, but it can feel like a bad thing when you aren’t sure what is happening to you. Autism is a developmental disorder that affects how people communicate, interact with others, and experience the world around them. It is diagnosed on a “spectrum” because it includes a wide range of strengths, challenges, and ways that people think or behave.
The good news? It is diagnosable and you can get resources and support that could completely change your life. You just need the right testing in order to get an autism diagnosis. We’ve become mavens at providing the best autism assessments so that you can finally get clear on how your brain works.
In your autism assessment, we test your neurological functioning and collect meaningful data about your educational, social-emotional, and developmental history. Why? Because getting the diagnosis right can provide you with high-impact resources and recommendations for managing your overwhelm. We write a report that helps you advocate for yourself at your school and/or work. Our reports include all the necessary information for you to advocate for your needs when you submit them to your work or school’s Disabilities Office. You can’t get testing accommodations unless you have one of these reports.
Have you been masking your autism for most of your life?
High-masking individuals are often missedSome individuals with autism, especially those who are highly intelligent or "high-masking," might not be diagnosed until adulthood. These people may have learned to hide or "mask" their differences, making it harder for teachers, parents, or doctors to notice signs of autism when they were children. Common signs in high-masking or high-functioning adults can include:
Feeling overwhelmed in social situations
Difficulty understanding social cues or body language
Needing routines and feeling stressed by changes
Deep interests in specific topics
Sensory sensitivities (such as to lights, sounds, or textures)
Feeling like they don’t “fit in” or are “different,” even if they seem to manage well on the outside
Autism testing services
Autism testing for childrenIf you are a parent suspecting that your child has autism, we can help you get the answers you need. We assess children as young as 7 with our comprehensive assessment.
The testing process takes 3-4 weeks from start to finish. You’ll receive a detailed report of our findings, along with support in advocating for 504/accommodations in school.
Autism testing for teensIf you are a parent who suspects your teen was “missed” in early childhood screenings for autism, then we can help get you the answers you crave.
The testing process takes 3-4 weeks from start to finish. You’ll receive the detailed report of our findings that can be used in school or in future educational experiences (like college or trade school).
Autism testing for adultsIf you are an adult with some sensory sensitivities or social communication issues and you’d like to be tested for autism, we can help!
The testing process can support how you function at work, in school, or in relationships. Self-understanding can help you build self-esteem, self-compassion, parenting skills, and insight.
Why do I need testing?
Some psychiatrists and psychologists will offer a preliminary diagnosis of autism, ADHD, or other learning disabilities when doing a clinical interview; however, the technical diagnosis of autism requires testing and assessment by a licensed psychologist. Why? To get the correct diagnosis, the assessment uses scientifically verified methods of testing to measure:
Sensory processing skills
Restricted behaviors or interests
Cognitive skills
Social-emotional development
Visual motor integration
And even more!
Beyond testing, there’s a really powerful way you can begin to train your brain for better focus and emotional regulation. Introducing NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback.
This is professional-grade, easy-to-use neurofeedback from the comfort of your home. Non-linear neurofeedback is a non-invasive and safe way to train your brain to be more focused and feel calmer. Autistic folks out there will know that this is a huge daily struggle.
We rent our professional-grade systems to you so you can brain train from the comfort of your home. If you don’t want to add another appointment to your week but still want the benefits of neurofeedback, contact us about renting our professional systems.
Autism resources at home
Through NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback Rentals
Other autism resources
Read more about autism diagnosis and treatment here.
Wondering if you have autism and ADHD? Read our blog here.
Want to help your brain feel less distracted and more motivated but you don’t have time for another appointment on your schedule? You can rent our professional-grade neurofeedback systems here.
Do you know you don’t have Autism but you think you have another learning disorder?
We can test for other learning disorders, too.