in order to get SSI, you NEED a DIAGNOSIS from a Pediatric Neurologist... get the diagnosis BEFORE you apply to SSI...trust me on this one, it took my son 15 months and I had to hire an attny when if we'd had a diagnosis WHEN we applied he would have been approved immediately

Pediatric Neurologist First..then seek treatment by a psychologist, psychiatris, or a child developement physician, depending on the resources available in your area. We went to 5 different specialist before we found one we liked and trusted...and have seen excellant results without endangering our childs life!

Contact your local childrens hospital. You will need a developmental pediatrition because spectrum diagnosis is tricky and can often lead to misdiagnosis of metal/emotional disorders. You need a current IQ testing session by a qualified facility (IQ testing is required because the child needs an average or above average for aspergers dx or will help figure out where on the spectum he is) unfourtunatly you wont find "one stop shopping" your pediatrician needs to order the IQ and developmental testing..also an OT evaluation for fine motor and sensory issues...documentation in medical records of and developmental delays..and a head to toe current physical...also write down specific concerns for the evaluation...is your child pre occupied by time or schedual...document meltdowns....the behavioral/developmental doctor will need all this information..and ypu will likely be on a wait list...so being prepared means not having to collect this info and sitnon the wait list again. Remember every doctor you see and therapist to...ask to sign the consent forms upfront so all providers can share information without delays

You want to see a MD for a medical diagnosis- so either a psychiatrist, a neurologist, or a developmental pediatrician. The developmental pediatricians in my area have super-long waiting lists (the best we found was 6 months) but the pediatric neurologist whom we saw for hypotonia also provided written confirmation of DD's diagnosis and we were able to get in to see her within 3 weeks of when we called her clinic. Had I known that the neurologist was qualified to do the initial diagnosis, I wouldn't have waited 6 months to see the developmental pediatrician.

At our regional center, we need the diagnosis first :(