Autism Spectrum Disorder

About one in 36 children has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which carries into adulthood. At Dreavita, an adult and adolescent mental health telehealth practice serving patients in Michigan, Massachusetts, California, Alaska, Washington, Colorado, and Florida, Andrea Piazza, MA, and the team diagnose and treat ASD to help you succeed in everyday situations — particularly in social settings. Schedule a virtual evaluation at Dreavita by phone or request one online today.

What is autism spectrum disorder?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a mental health condition characterized by awkward social interactions and communication deficiencies. ASD impacts the ability to interact in a socially accepted way, often leading to poor interpersonal connections or issues at work and school. Treatment can lessen apparent autism symptoms, helping you or a loved one thrive. 

Which symptoms can autism spectrum disorder cause?

Autism spectrum disorder can contribute to the following symptoms:

• Poor communication
• Lack of eye contact
• Awkward social interactions
• Having few or no friends
• Being socially withdrawn
• Developmental delays in children
• Preferring to be alone
• Minimal facial expressions
• Difficulty keeping conversations going
• Speaking in abnormal rhythms and tones
• Robot-like speech
• Repeating phrases or words
• Spinning, rocking, head banging, hand flapping, or other repetitive movements
• Coordination problems
• Odd movement patterns
• Light, touch, or sound sensitivity
• Fixating on objects
• Being a picky eater

Signs of autism are often apparent by two years old, though they’re sometimes missed and not diagnosed until adulthood. Individuals with mild forms of autism often lead near-normal or normal lives with effective treatment.

What increases the risk of autism?

The cause of autism isn’t fully understood, but its risk factors may include:

• Family history of autism spectrum disorder
• Genetic abnormalities
• Toxin exposure during pregnancy or childhood
• Medical conditions
• Being born prematurely 
• Being born to older parents
• Being male

Males are four times more likely to have autism than females. 

How is autism spectrum disorder diagnosed?

Diagnosing autism spectrum disorder involves completing a telehealth psychiatric evaluation. Your Dreavita specialist asks questions about your behaviors, thoughts, emotions, social interactions, and development. They customize a treatment that helps you overcome debilitating symptoms linked to autism spectrum disorder. 

How is autism spectrum disorder treated?

The Dreavita team provides ASD treatment plans that may consist of one or more of the following:

• Lifestyle changes
• Medications
• Kintsugi emotional wellness solutions
• Client-centered talk therapy
• Couples or family counseling
• Coaching
• Neurofeedback using Muse™ devices 
• Financial therapy
• Art therapy
• Trauma-informed counseling
• Exposure therapy 
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), including trauma-focused CBT
• Sublingual ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP)
• Specialist and school program referrals

Dreavita partners with Journey Clinical to offer fully remote KAP. The team also provides an advanced therapeutic technology rental program, where you can rent neurofeedback or similar devices to minimize autism symptoms. They also provide workbooks and worksheets that help you succeed. Dreavita takes a holistic, integrative approach to treating ASD.

Schedule a virtual autism spectrum disorder evaluation at Dreavita by calling the office or requesting an appointment online today.