Therapeutic Approach and Treatment
ADOS-2 Assessment at Tranquilamente
The ADOS-2 assessment is a gold-standard test for evaluating and diagnosing autism and pervasive developmental disorders in individuals across various ages and language development levels. It is an individual assessment lasting between 45 and 80 minutes, depending on the patient's age and characteristics.
The ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) is a semi-structured observational scale in which two specially trained clinicians present the patient with a series of tasks, games, role-playing activities, conversations, and more. They then score the patient's reactions and behaviors based on standard parameters ranging from 0 to 3.
One clinician interacts with the patient while the other acts as an observer to enhance the quality of the observation.
What domains does the ADOS-2 test evaluate?
The ADOS evaluates the patient across four main clinical domains:
- Communication and language: Assesses how the patient uses verbal and non-verbal language (facial expressions, hand gestures, inferences, eye contact, etc.).
- Reciprocal social interaction: Analyzes the ability to engage in appropriate, two-way interactions involving reciprocal responses.
- Imagination and creativity: Includes the ability to use objects symbolically, create narratives or games, and incorporate storylines into role-playing activities.
- Stereotyped behaviors and restricted interests: Identifies repetitive, routinized behaviors or interests that interfere with the patient's normal development.
Utility and Benefits of the Diagnosis
This test is highly useful not only for establishing an ASD diagnosis but also for identifying specific areas requiring further intervention and determining which type of therapy might be most suitable. It is also a useful tool for:
- Diagnosing comorbidities: Conditions frequently associated with ASD, such as ADHD, depression, anxiety, or tics.
- Monitoring development: It allows for tracking changes in symptoms as the child grows and various interventions are implemented.
The ADOS-2 test enables us to adjust treatments, psychotherapy, and diagnoses at each stage of development. It is a simple, non-invasive method that provides valuable information regarding the variability of symptoms to be addressed following an ASD diagnosis.
Post-Diagnosis Therapeutic Plan
Once the ADOS-2 assessment is complete, we design an intervention tailored to the individual or their family:
- Addressing Comorbidities: Diagnosis and treatment of common associated conditions, such as ADHD, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, or tics.
- Adapted Psychotherapy: Psychological support to process the diagnosis, manage autistic burnout, work on emotional regulation, and reduce social anxiety.
- Daily Living Skills Training: Functional adaptation strategies that respect the individual's sensory and cognitive profile.
- Family Guidance and Psychoeducation: Practical advice for families on creating a safe, understanding, and development-fostering environment.
- Developmental Follow-up: The use of the ADOS-2 and clinical re-evaluation facilitate the adjustment of support measures across different life stages (childhood, adolescence, and adulthood).
Specialists in the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Overview
Specialized Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
At the Tranquilamente clinic, we understand that seeking a diagnosis or answers about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a brave step that is usually accompanied by a deep desire for understanding. Whether for a child, a family member, or yourself in adulthood, discovering how your brain processes information is the starting point to building an adapted, fulfilling life that respects your neurodivergence.
We offer a rigorous and compassionate evaluation service centered around the ADOS-2 test, considered the worldwide gold standard tool for diagnosing autism across different ages and developmental levels. Our medical and therapeutic team accompanies you in this process, freeing the diagnosis from stigmas, validating every experience, and providing clear answers for your daily life.
Main Symptoms
Symptoms and Warning Signs in the Autism Spectrum
The autism spectrum manifests uniquely in each individual. Signs can be evident from early childhood or masked until adulthood due to conscious effort to adapt to the environment. The main symptoms are grouped into two fundamental areas:
1. Social Communication and Interaction
- Challenges in social reciprocity: Difficulty initiating or maintaining fluid conversations, sharing interests spontaneously, or understanding emotional exchange dynamics.
- Differences in non-verbal communication: Atypical use or interpretation of eye contact, facial expression, tone of voice, and body language when communicating.
- Difficulty developing and maintaining relationships: Complications in understanding unwritten social rules, making friends, or adapting behavior to changing contexts.
2. Behavior Patterns, Interests, and Sensory Processing
- Restricted behaviors and interests: Intense and focused passion for specific topics of interest (hyperfocus).
- Inflexible adherence to routines: Significant distress or anxiety in response to unexpected changes in plans, routes, or daily sequences.
- Repetitive movements or speech: Use of stereotyped movements (such as hand flapping or rocking) or repetitive phrases (echolalia).
- Atypical sensory sensitivity: Hyper- or hypo-reactivity to environmental stimuli (bright lights, specific noises, clothing textures, smells, or pain tolerance).
Common Types
Support Levels and Manifestations of ASD
Current clinical criteria (such as DSM-5) classify Autism Spectrum Disorder not into rigid types (such as the old term "Asperger Syndrome"), but into support need levels:
Level 1: Requires Support
The person possesses autonomy in daily life, but experiences significant difficulties in social interaction, planning, cognitive flexibility, and anxiety regulation in unstructured environments.
Level 2: Requires Substantial Support
There are obvious limitations in verbal and non-verbal communication skills, along with repetitive behaviors or inflexibility that frequently interfere with daily functionality.
Level 3: Requires Very Substantial Support
Presents severe difficulties in social communication and marked rigidity in behavior, needing continuous and specialized assistance to carry out most daily activities.
Autism in Adulthood and Social Masking
Many people —especially women— reach adulthood without a diagnosis due to masking: the conscious imitation of neurotypical behaviors to fit in. This generates deep exhaustion, autistic burnout, and is often confused for years with generalized anxiety or depression.