Autism Evaluations for Children & Adolescents in St. Charles, Missouri

The ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition) is the gold-standard observational instrument for autism assessment. It involves structured activities that allow the evaluator to observe social communication, play, and behavior in a standardized way. Formal certification in ADOS-2 administration and scoring is required to use it reliably — not all evaluators hold this credential. It matters because schools, pediatricians, psychiatrists, and insurance companies give significantly more weight to evaluations that include a properly administered ADOS-2.

A pediatrician typically uses brief screeners — like the M-CHAT — during well-child visits. These tools are designed to flag children who may need further evaluation, not to diagnose. A comprehensive psychological evaluation goes significantly deeper: it includes the ADOS-2, cognitive and developmental testing, adaptive functioning assessment, and multi-informant behavior rating scales. The result is a full diagnostic picture with specific, actionable recommendations — not just a flag for follow-up.

Therapy and evaluation serve different purposes. A therapist works on skills and emotional well-being — but without a formal evaluation, they're working without a complete diagnostic picture. An evaluation can clarify whether autism is present, identify co-occurring conditions like ADHD or anxiety, and produce a report that unlocks school accommodations and services your child may not currently be receiving. Many families find that therapy becomes significantly more targeted and effective after a comprehensive evaluation.

Still weighing whether therapy is the right first step? This may help.

Yes — and you're right that autism in girls is significantly underdiagnosed. Girls tend to mask autistic traits more effectively than boys, often through social mimicry and compensation strategies that allow them to "pass" as neurotypical while expending enormous energy to do so. By adolescence, many autistic girls present primarily with anxiety, depression, or social exhaustion — which can cause clinicians to miss the underlying autism entirely. Dr. McKinzie is attuned to the female autism phenotype and evaluates for it explicitly.

Co-occurrence of autism and ADHD is common — research suggests 50–70% of autistic individuals also meet criteria for ADHD. Our evaluation is designed to assess for both simultaneously, with tools that can differentiate overlapping presentations. The resulting report addresses all identified conditions with integrated recommendations, so families don't need to pursue separate evaluations.

The intake interview takes approximately 1 hour. Testing sessions run 3–5 hours and may be split across multiple days depending on your child's stamina and age. From intake to your feedback session, the full process typically takes 4–8 weeks — with the written report delivered 2–4 weeks after the final data is collected. Timely completion of parent and teacher rating scales is the most important factor in keeping the timeline on track.

No referral is needed. You can contact Minds in Progress directly to schedule a free 15-minute consultation. If you have prior records — from a pediatrician, school evaluation, or previous assessment — we're happy to review them, but they're not required to get started.

We are located in Woodstone Plaza in St. Charles, MO and regularly serve families from O'Fallon, St. Peters, Wentzville, Lake Saint Louis, Cottleville, and the greater St. Louis metro area. Dr. McKinzie is also available to travel for testing when distance is a meaningful barrier to access.