How is autism diagnosed, and what is the value of seeking a medical diagnosis? Chelsea turns to local experts Amy Heffelfinger, who diagnosed Chelsea’s own children two decades ago, and her colleague Lauren Miller for answers in this episode. Dr. Amy Heffelfinger is a mom of two 20-something daughters, a proud professor and chief, a child neuropsychologist, a wife of 28 years, a lover of nature, and a grateful child of God. She loves to work with young children and their families. While basic cognitive abilities are very important, and at the core of a neuropsychological evaluation, she wants to help children function best at home, in school, socially, and in their community, helping to remove racial, socioeconomic or cultural barriers to their success through maintaining quality education and early intervention. Dr. Lauren Miller is a pediatric clinical neuropsychologist specializing in the care of children with medical, neurological, and neurodevelopmental conditions, with particular focus and expertise in working with children under age 6. Dr. Miller's background includes significant experience in the early identification of autism through screening and early diagnostic evaluation. She trained under Dr. Deborah Fein, a renowned expert in the field of autism and pediatric neuropsychology, and co-author of the M-CHAT-R, the most widely used screening tool for autism in toddlers. Dr. Miller's clinical and research interests are aligned and include a focus on developing and refining efficient screening and diagnostic processes for autism in the context of medical conditions, as well as understanding and predicting neurodevelopmental outcomes as children get older. Chelsea refers to the following previously published episodes of this show, so here are those links: Episode 1: IntroEpisode 2: JustusEpisode 4: ChelseaEpisode 5: PeteThe following topics and terms, in order of their appearance in the podcast, might evoke some curiosity: pediatric neuropsychologist: "A pediatric neuropsychologist is a licensed psychologist specializing in the relationship between a child's brain and their learning, behavior, and emotional functioning, often assessing individuals with conditions like epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, or developmental differences through formal testing and clinical observation. They conduct comprehensive evaluations to identify a child's strengths and weaknesses in cognitive areas such as attention, memory, and problem-solving, and provide detailed recommendations for creating effective treatment plans and educational supports." (Google AI Overview, 2025)Global Developmental Delay (Cleveland Clinic)Pervasive Developmental Disorder (Cleveland Clinic)DSM-IV: The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed. (1994, TR 2000) diagnostic criteriaThe DSM-5 (The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed.Podcast includes an introduction for episodes 6 and following at the beginning. Transition music, "Taking a Vocation", by Noey Budde. Closing narration for episodes 6 and following.
