ADOS-2

The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) is a standard test that looks at communication, social interaction, play and repetitive behaviors. A trained clinician leads your child through set activities using toys and other items from the test kit. Then they score what they saw. There are five versions, called modules, for ages 12 months through adulthood. Your child gets only one, picked by age and spoken language. It takes about 40 to 60 minutes.

The ADOS-2 is one part of a diagnostic evaluation. Clinicians combine it with what you tell them about your child's development, other tests and their own judgment. The publisher calls it the "gold standard" for observing autism, while a 2018 Cochrane review found it the best tool studied at picking up autism, though accuracy varied. That review and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) both say no single tool should decide a diagnosis.

For a young child, the ADOS-2 can look a lot like play at a small table with toys. The clinician watches how your child talks, plays and interacts. Expect questions about your child's history too. Diagnostic tools usually use both a parent's account and a clinician's observation. A screening form at a checkup isn't the ADOS-2 and doesn't give a diagnosis.

• Ask the evaluating clinician: Ask which module your child will get and what else, beyond the ADOS-2, will go into the diagnosis.
• Their training: Ask the clinician about their training with the ADOS-2, since the publisher says extra training may be needed to use it well.
• Coverage: Ask the clinic to check your plan before the visit, since Medicaid must provide diagnostic services for children when a screening shows a need, and private plan coverage varies.