The Davenport Autism Evaluation, Explained Plainly
One evaluator. One process. A written answer you can actually use, without the months of waiting that come with larger centers.
Book Your Free Davenport Iowa Austim Testing Consultation →The Question You Haven't Been Able to Put Down
It shows up in odd moments. Watching your kid line up toys instead of playing with them. Noticing you're the only one in a meeting still thinking about something someone said an hour ago. A teacher's comment that felt slightly off. A pattern in your own life that finally has a shape to it once someone names it out loud.
Curiosity like that doesn't go away on its own, and it shouldn't have to wait a year to get an answer. This page explains, in plain terms, how an autism evaluation actually works at this practice, who it's built for, and what happens once you have the results in hand.
Talk It Through First →One Evaluator, Start to Finish
At larger centers, it's common to meet an intake coordinator, then a technician who runs the testing, then a separate clinician who signs the report. Nobody in that chain necessarily met your child before the day of testing.
That's not how this works. Dr. Christina Stai conducts every part of your evaluation herself, from the first phone call to the final feedback session. She's a licensed psychologist trained in the ADOS-2 and other standardized diagnostic tools, with a specific focus on presentations that get missed elsewhere: high-masking adults, women, people of color, and kids whose traits don't match the textbook photo of autism.
✅ Important Consideration Continuity of care isn't a marketing phrase here. One clinician conducting the interview, the testing, and the feedback means nothing gets lost in translation between departments.
💡 Expert Tip Ask any provider you're considering whether the same person handles your entire evaluation. If the answer is "it depends on scheduling," that's worth factoring into your decision.
Inside the Evaluation Itself
The Conversation First
Before any formal testing happens, there's a real conversation, developmental history, current concerns, and the specific moments that brought you to this point. This isn't a form to fill out alone in a waiting room.
Structured, Not Sterile
Standardized measures like the ADOS-2 give the evaluation its rigor, but they're administered in a way that adapts to the person in the room, not a rigid script that ignores sensory needs or communication style.
Outside Perspective, With Consent
Teachers, partners, or prior records can add context a single conversation can't capture, gathered only with your explicit permission.
A Feedback Session That Actually Explains Things
Results come back to you in a conversation, not a mailed envelope. Every finding gets explained until it makes sense, not just summarized in clinical shorthand.
Reasons People Actually Book This in Davenport IA
The Adult Who Finally Has Words for It
Years of feeling slightly out of step with everyone else, now with a framework instead of a guess.
The Parent Who Wasn't Imagining It
A pediatrician or teacher brushed off a concern that hasn't actually gone away.
The Second Opinion
A prior evaluation felt rushed, incomplete, or focused only on what was "wrong."
The Paperwork That Needs Backing
School accommodations, workplace support, or a 504 plan that requires formal documentation.
Three Different Doors in Davenport, Iowa
Not every path to support in Iowa runs through the same door. Depending on your child's age and what you're actually trying to accomplish, one of these three routes will fit better than the others.
| Route | Who It's For | What It Accomplishes | Where It Starts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private Evaluation | Any age, including adults | A formal medical diagnosis, the piece required for insurance coverage and most state services | A free consultation call |
| School Evaluation | Ages 3-21 | Determines eligibility for special education support; does not produce a medical diagnosis | A written request to your child's school |
| Early ACCESS | Birth to age 3 | Free developmental services, available without any diagnosis at all | Iowa's Early ACCESS line: 1-888-425-4371 |
What Actually Comes Home With You
The end product isn't a single word on a form. It's a written report that lays out where your strengths sit alongside your challenges, what accommodations make practical sense, and what the next reasonable step looks like, written so a non-clinician can actually read it.
If a formal diagnosis isn't where the evaluation lands, that's still useful information, and the report reflects that honestly rather than forcing a label that doesn't fit.
Questions People Ask Before Booking
Can adults get evaluated here, or is this only for kids?
Adults make up a real share of the evaluations conducted at this practice, often people who've suspected something for years or started wondering after a family member's diagnosis.
Someone once told me I seem "too functional" for autism. Does that rule me out?
No. That kind of comment usually reflects how well someone has learned to mask, not whether autism fits. The evaluation process here is built to look past that.
Do I have to come to an office, or can this happen remotely?
Parts of the process, including the interview and feedback session, can happen through secure telehealth. Whether any component needs to be in person depends on what's being assessed, and that gets sorted out during your consultation.
How long is this going to take?
Most evaluations wrap up within a few weeks of the first session, with feedback scheduled soon after testing concludes.
What happens if the answer isn't autism?
You still get a full, honest report reflecting whatever the evaluation actually shows, along with recommendations that fit your real situation.
Keep Reading
Find the closest access point across the state.
The full scope of diagnostic offerings at this practice.
A broader walkthrough of the testing process.
A grounding in autism as identity, not deficit.
Diagnostic services beyond autism alone.
Ongoing support once your evaluation is complete.
