Early recognition and diagnosis of these disabilities will impact not only your family's understanding of your child's needs in regards to various available interventions but will also improve the outcome for your child.
Often the barrier in getting a diagnosis of a developmental disorder like Autism lies in the confusion, myths, ignorance and lack of information and awareness regarding where and whom to go for a diagnosis. The term Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Autism as it is commonly called, includes a wide range of abilities which may result in parents being confused and unable to understand if "it is or it is not?"
Even though teachers and sometimes parents of children with a particular disability may be quick in picking up these differences, they may not be able to confirm it. The diagnosis of Autism requires an experienced clinician to recognize the behaviours of the child using standardised tools
Most commonly, parents visit their family doctor to understand why their child is developing or behaving differently. A family physician may not have adequate knowledge of Autism, and if your concerns are not met then you should seek specialist advice.
A developmental paediatrician is, first and foremost, a child specialist that is a doctor with training in the care of children and who brings a child- and family oriented perspective to the evaluation process. Developmental paediatricians have additional training that focuses on the assessment and management of developmental problems. Typical symptoms or concerns that a developmental paediatrician is trained to identify and evaluate include ASD (Autism) and other developmental disorders.
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. Besides diagnosing Autism they may be able to help recognise and manage other condition which often co-exist with Autism e.g Anxiety Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Clinical psychologists are authorized to assess and diagnose Autism and other individual or group problems of persons with Autism to help improve behaviour adjustment and adaptation. Psychologists need not have a medical degree. However, they have to study several years to specialize in various aspects of psychology. An M.Phil in psychology with a minimum of two years of experience or a PhD in the subject is what qualifies a person to be a licensed "psychologist"
A neurologist may be equipped to recognize the symptoms, especially conditions like Epilepsy which may be associated with Autism.