# Recommended autism screening and diagnostic pathway under 7

Canonical: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-the-recommended-screening-and-diagnostic-pathway-for-autism-spectrum-in-children-under-7
Publisher: Pinnacle Blooms Network / Bharath Healthcare Laboratories Private Limited

For children under 7, the pathway is developmental surveillance at every visit, autism-specific screening at 18 and 24 months (and at any concern), prompt referral on a positive screen, and multidisciplinary diagnostic assessment against ICD-11 6A02. Screening flags risk; it never diagnoses. A clinical AbilityScore and diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle centre.

*A child rarely presents with a diagnosis — they present with a pattern, and a clear pathway turns that pattern into timely support.*

## In short
For children under 7, the recommended pathway is **surveillance at every visit, structured screening at defined ages, and prompt referral to a multidisciplinary team for diagnostic assessment** when concern persists. AAP/IAP advocate developmental surveillance at all well-child visits with formal autism-specific screening (e.g. M-CHAT-R/F) at **18 and 24 months**, plus screening at any point of parental or clinician concern. A positive screen is a trigger for referral — not a diagnosis. Diagnosis is established by clinical history, direct observation against **ICD-11 6A02** criteria, and standardised tools, never by screen alone.

## The pathway
**1. Surveillance** — track milestones at every contact; act on regression at any age.
**2. Screening** — autism-specific tool at 18 and 24 months, or whenever flags emerge; pair with a hearing check to exclude sensory cause.
**3. Referral** — on a positive screen or persistent concern, route to a multidisciplinary developmental team without waiting.
**4. Diagnostic assessment** — detailed developmental and family history, multi-setting behavioural observation, and instruments such as ADOS-2/ADI-R, mapped to ICD-11 6A02 (NICE CG128). Co-occurring needs — language, cognition, sensory, sleep, feeding — are profiled in parallel.
**5. Intervention** — early evidence-based support begins alongside, not after, formal diagnosis.

NICE CG128 and NIMHANS resources reinforce that delay to assessment should never delay support.

## The Pinnacle way
A clinical **AbilityScore®** — a clinician-administered structured developmental assessment — and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care, never from a screen or an app. Across [70+ centres in 4 states](/autism), our multidisciplinary teams convert a positive screen into a profiled plan. See [how the AbilityScore® works](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated) and our [autism therapy pathway](/autism-therapy).

## Trusted sources
WHO ICD-11 6A02; CDC Learn the Signs. Act Early.; AAP (HealthyChildren.org); NICE CG128; Indian Academy of Pediatrics; NIMHANS clinical resources.

**Next step —** Refer a child or partner with us — [connect your practice to a Pinnacle multidisciplinary team](/autism-therapy).

## Sources
- WHO ICD-11 — Autism spectrum disorder: https://icd.who.int/browse11
- CDC — Learn the Signs. Act Early.: https://www.cdc.gov/child-development
- AAP — HealthyChildren.org: https://www.healthychildren.org
- NICE CG128 — Autism recognition & diagnosis: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg128
- NIMHANS — autism clinical resources: https://nimhans.ac.in

## Connected topics and perspectives
- Conditions: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/conditions
- Doctor: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/stakeholder/doctor
- Social: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/domain/social
- Assessment: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/intent/assessment
- Measure: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/lifecycle/measure
- Autism Therapy: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/route/autism-therapy
- Early Clarity: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/empowerment/early_clarity

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