Author: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
Screeners vs. diagnostic tools for autism: What do they do?
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
If your child’s pediatrician hands you a questionnaire and says the results “raise some concerns,” what that really means is that your child needs further evaluation. …
Insurance coverage for autism testing: What parents need to know
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
Spotting the signs of autism is only the first step. Once a parent decides to pursue a formal evaluation, the next question is almost always the …
Closing the gap: Why autism diagnosis before age three matters
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
A difference of a few years may not sound like much, but in autism spectrum disorder, earlier identification can open critical windows for support during key …
What does the new generation of autism tools look like?
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
Emerging Diagnostic Technology: Objective Biomarkers and FDA-Cleared Tools While existing tools represent decades of clinical and research development, they share common limitations: nearly all rely on …
A complete guide to autism diagnostic methods: Screening, assessment & diagnosis
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
Autism Spectrum Disorder now affects approximately 1 in 31 children in the United States, according to the CDC’s 2025 ADDM Network report. Yet despite decades of …
CARS-2 vs. ADOS-2: Choosing the right autism assessment tool for your practice
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
Choosing the right autism assessment tool has direct consequences for your practice’s diagnostic accuracy, patient throughput, staffing requirements, and operational capacity. For clinicians and practice leaders …
How can eye-tracking technology help with clinical decision-making in autism?
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
How Technology Aids Clinical Decision-Making According to research, 61% of autism diagnostic centers report wait times of four months or longer, and families often wait much …
ADI-R for autism diagnosis: What clinicians should know
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) is one of the most widely used and thoroughly researched caregiver interview tools in autism diagnosis. Alongside the ADOS-2, it has long …
ADOS-2 explained: What ABA providers need to know about the gold standard in autism diagnosis
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
With autism prevalence now reaching 1 in 31 children in the United States according to the latest CDC data, the pressure on ABA practices to support …
My baby avoids eye contact: Could it be autism?
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
Does Your Baby Avoid Eye Contact? Here’s What It Could Mean If your baby avoids eye contact, turns away when you look at them, seems to …
Is your baby avoiding eye contact? Here’s what to know
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
The Importance of Eye Contact in Your Baby’s Development—and When to Worry As a parent, watching your baby’s development is an exciting journey filled with milestones …
Is your baby avoiding eye contact? Here’s what to know
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
The Importance of Eye Contact in Your Baby’s Development—and When to Worry As a parent, watching your baby’s development is an exciting journey filled with milestones …
Autism evaluations are taking too long—new survey reveals why
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
Key Takeaways Professionals are overextended. Most clinicians and educators report that autism evaluations take hours to complete, with report writing and data collection creating major bottlenecks. …
Could it be autism? Signs to look for before your child turns 3
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
Why Early Detection Matters Every child develops at their own pace, but when certain social, communication, or behavioral milestones are missing, it may be an early …
Could it be autism? Signs to look for before your kid turns 3
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
Why Early Detection Matters Every child develops at their own pace, but when certain social, communication, or behavioral milestones are missing, it may be an early …
Could it be autism? Signs to look for before your kid turns 3
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
Why Early Detection Matters Every child develops at their own pace, but when certain social, communication, or behavioral milestones are missing, it may be an early …
Babies avoiding eye contact & autism: What’s the connection?
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
Understanding Early Social Development Eye contact is one of the earliest ways babies connect with their caregivers. From infancy, most babies naturally seek out faces, making …
My child isn’t responding to their name. Should I be concerned?
Written by: Cheryl Tierney, MD, MPH
Why Isn’t My Child Responding to Their Name? Understand the Possible Reasons For parents, hearing their child respond to their name for the first time is …
