Looking for an Autism Diagnosis?

If you have concerns about your child’s development, communication, social skills, play, behavior, or sensory needs, you may be wondering whether it is time to pursue an autism evaluation.

You do not need to wait until your child is school-aged to ask questions about their development. If you have concerns, talk with your child’s pediatrician and consider contacting a provider who performs comprehensive autism diagnostic evaluations.

When Should I Consider an Autism Evaluation?

Consider talking with your child’s pediatrician or a diagnostic provider if you have concerns about your child’s development, including:

Delayed or limited speech and communication
Loss of previously acquired language or other skills
Limited use of gestures, pointing, or other forms of communication
Difficulty with back-and-forth social interaction
Limited or inconsistent response to their name
Differences in eye contact or social engagement
Repetitive movements, play, speech, or interests
Strong preference for routines or difficulty with unexpected changes
Significant sensory sensitivities or sensory-seeking behaviors
Differences in play or interaction with peers
Development that simply seems different from what you expected

Children do not need to demonstrate every characteristic associated with autism to warrant an evaluation. Autism can also look very different from one child to another.

If you have concerns, you do not have to wait for them to become more significant before seeking an evaluation.

Screening vs. Diagnosis

An autism screening is not the same as an autism diagnostic evaluation.

Developmental and autism screening tools can help identify children who may benefit from further evaluation, but a positive screening result by itself is not an autism diagnosis.

A comprehensive diagnostic evaluation looks more closely at your child's developmental history, current skills and behavior. Depending on the provider and your child's individual needs, the evaluation may include caregiver interviews, direct observation, standardized assessments, developmental or cognitive testing, adaptive-behavior measures, and review of medical, developmental or educational records.

Some providers use the ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition) as one component of the evaluation. An ADOS-2 is an assessment tool; it is not, by itself, a diagnosis.

Who Can Diagnose Autism?

Autism should be diagnosed by a qualified healthcare professional who is trained and experienced in evaluating Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Depending on the provider and the requirements of your insurance plan, this may include professionals such as:

Developmental-behavioral pediatricians
Physicians with appropriate training and experience in autism diagnosis
Licensed psychologists or neuropsychologists
Child and adolescent psychiatrists
Other appropriately licensed clinicians when permitted by the child's insurance plan and applicable requirements

An RBT or BCBA does not independently provide a medical diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. ABA providers can identify concerns, recommend that a family seek an evaluation, and provide information about the child's skills and behavior when appropriate.

Finding a Diagnostic Provider

Below are some Las Vegas Valley providers and practices that perform pediatric autism diagnostic evaluations.

This is not intended to be a comprehensive list. Provider availability and insurance participation change frequently, so we recommend contacting the provider directly before scheduling.

Advanced Pediatrics Las Vegas
Providers: Nudrat Nauman, MD
Location: Las Vegas
Phone: 702-750-1230

Applied Behavior Analysis Institute (Diagnostic evaluations currently unavailable as of October 2026)

Providers:
Location: Las Vegas
Phone: 702-502-8021

Bamboo Family Clinic

Providers: Kachirri Gunn, APRN, RN
Location: Henderson
Phone: 702-483-2969

Center for Child & Family Development (Unconfirmed as of October 2026)
Providers: Nicole Ann Cavenagh, PhD; Deva M. Dorris, PsyD
Location: Las Vegas
Phone: 702-912-5848

Diverse Mind

Providers: Michele Wijangco, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, CAS
Location: Las Vegas
Phone: 725-324-4766

Frontier Medical & Behavioral Center (Unconfirmed as of October 2026)
Providers: Jerome Nwokike, MD; Brenda Primero, NP
Location: North Las Vegas
Phone: 702-750-2438

Grant a Gift Autism Foundation – Ackerman Center

Providers: Mario Gaspar De Alba, MD; Jennifer Karmely, PhD; Elizabeth Wilkes, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC; Rebecca L. Pitts, MSN, FPMHNP; Holly Summers, PhD
Location: Las Vegas
Phone: 702-998-9505

Intermountain Health – Badura Clinic Pediatrics
Providers: Terence McAllister, MD
Location: Las Vegas
Phone: 702-435-5437

Karen Leah Cruey, MD
Providers: Karen Leah Cruey, MD
Location: Las Vegas
Phone: 702-247-1703

Little Roots Pediatrics
Providers: Eileen Shi, MD
Location: Las Vegas
Phone: 775-526-4412

McGuire Psychological Services
Providers: Michelle McGuire, PsyD
Location: Las Vegas
Phone: 725-485-7100

Mike O’Callaghan Military Medical Center
Providers: Charles S. Timnak, MD
Location: Nellis Air Force Base
Phone: 702-653-3880

Mojave Meadows Psychological Services
Providers: Yvonne Fritz, PsyD
Location: Henderson
Phone: 702-514-0098

Nevada Mental Health
Providers: Tina Goodson, MD
Location: Las Vegas
Phone: 702-968-5084

NeuroSpectrum Diagnostics (Unconfirmed as of October 2026)
Providers:
Location: Las Vegas
Phone: 702-877-6183

Pediatric Neurology & Epilepsy Associates
Providers: Herbert O. Ezugha, MD
Location: Henderson
Phone: 702-852-1155

Rachel E. Davis, PhD (Unconfirmed as of October 2026)

Location: Las Vegas
Phone: 702-776-8990

UNLV Medicine
Providers: Lyanna Joy LaFredo, MD; David Savarese, MD
Location: Las Vegas
Phone: 702-992-6868

Valetudo
Providers: Jirair Baghdassarian, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC
Location: Las Vegas
Phone: 702-910-6857

Zarminali Pediatrics – Spring Valley Durango
Providers: Ian Childs, PA-C
Location: Las Vegas
Phone: 702-889-8444

Before Scheduling an Evaluation

When calling a diagnostic provider, we recommend asking:

Do you perform comprehensive Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnostic evaluations for my child's age?
Are you accepting new patients?
What is your current wait time?
Do I need a referral from my child's pediatrician?
Do you accept my child's insurance?
Is the diagnostic evaluation itself covered by that insurance?
Are there any out-of-pocket costs?
Will we receive a complete written diagnostic report?
If my child is diagnosed with autism, will the report include recommendations/referrals for medically necessary services such as ABA when appropriate?
If my child has Nevada Medicaid, can you complete the required FA-11F documentation?

It is important to ask about coverage for the evaluation specifically. A provider may accept an insurance plan for some services without necessarily being in network for every type of psychological or diagnostic testing.

Nevada Medicaid Families: Ask About the FA-11F

If your child has Nevada Medicaid, ask the diagnostic provider about the FA-11F when scheduling the evaluation.

The FA-11F is Nevada Medicaid documentation used in connection with an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis and access to ASD-related services.

If your child receives an autism diagnosis and has Nevada Medicaid, make sure you receive the appropriate completed documentation along with the diagnostic report. Nevada's autism resources specifically advise families with Medicaid to ensure an FA-11F is included following the assessment.

It is much easier to address this with the diagnosing provider at the time of the evaluation than to discover later that additional documentation is needed before services can be authorized.

What Should I Receive After the Evaluation?

Ask for a copy of your child's complete written diagnostic report, not just a letter stating that your child has autism.

Review the report and make sure your child's identifying information is correct and that the report clearly documents the diagnostic conclusions and recommendations.

Depending on your child's needs and insurance requirements, you may need copies for:

Your child's pediatrician and other healthcare providers
ABA services
Speech or occupational therapy
Your insurance company
Nevada Medicaid
Nevada Early Intervention Services
Your child's school or other educational team

Keep an electronic copy somewhere you can access in the future. You may be asked for the diagnostic report more than once as your child begins different services.

What Happens After a Diagnosis?

An autism diagnosis does not tell you everything about your child or determine which services they need.

The next step is identifying your child's individual strengths and areas where additional support may be helpful. Recommendations may include ABA therapy, speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, feeding services, medical follow-up, school-based supports, or other services depending on your child's needs.

If you are interested in ABA services, you can contact Allies Autism Services after receiving your child's diagnostic documentation to discuss the intake process and determine whether our services may be appropriate for your family.