Autism Care for Children

The Autism Clinic at Monroe Carell will assess your child by referral when you or your pediatrician is concerned about their development or behavior. There can be many reasons for these concerns, including

• Delays in development, such as talking, walking, speech or learning
• A medical condition that hinders development

These concerns may be a sign of a diagnosis such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We work with your child and doctor to determine if autism is the cause. If your child receives this diagnosis, we will provide your family with an action plan for continuing care.

Vanderbilt has been designated as one of only 14 institutions in the U.S. to form the Autism Treatment Network, comprising elite centers dedicated to improving care for children and adolescents with autism through diagnosis, treatment, and counseling.

If your child is three or older, a pediatric nurse practitioner or developmental pediatrician at our Autism Clinic will likely manage their first visit. There may be as many as three sessions needed to complete the visit. The sessions will include an initial assessment, testing and feedback. After that, we may refer you to a psychologist for more testing.